My Life As I Know It
by author94
Summary: REPOST JOE/OC Joe's point of view on life, in an AU style of the books.
1. Chapter 1

"**There's nothing wrong up there." ** I said, pointing to her head, knowing fully well how tired she was. She looked at me, my finger pointing towards her head.**"Trust me, Cammie, everything's gonna be fine." ** With a sense of remembering, and almost absent-mindedly, I touched a now-faded scar on my temple, indicating that I understood. **"I know a little something about these things." **Reading the fact that I was (a fact that made me struggle not to blush deeply) her favorite teacher, and that she was fighting the option of potentially letting me down, she simply said **"I know."** At that moment, I knew she never would know. Not 100% know who I was. Not even Dave did, and I'm pretty sure he was the one man who saw right through my training, saw through ever mask, and every façade. I knew then, she didn't know. And I would never be disappointed, because…

How can you tell a girl whose been through hell and back, what I've done, what her _father_ has done? Cammie went outside to stand next to Macey McHenry. I watched them through the window, and caught the helicopter, the one that now knew where my… _home_ was, for lack of a better term. Rachel came into the room, her cell phone in her pocket. She watched the girls out of the window like I did, quiet.

"You called her Cammie." In the major risk of sounding either clichéd or pointing out the obvious…it wasn't a question. It was a curious statement. "You usually refer to her as 'Ms. Morgan.'" Rachel turned to me. "Why, Joe?"

"Because." I said, looking at the wife of my best friend. "I've seen a lot, and I've heard a lot. But if there's one thing I picked up, knowing you for as long as I have, that a girl sometimes needs to know others are _not_ going to buy into their cover, buy into her mask. She needs…"

"A father." Rachel whispered.

"I don't want to be that to her, Rache." I replied.

"But she needs something. And, let's face it; you've always had a soft spot of Cammie." I blushed slightly.

"Well, when she dubs you 'Uncle Joey' at age two and forgets who you are fourteen years down the road?" I turned to the one person who had ever seen more of me than the world did (aside from Dave, of course.) "Of course you want to be close. Remember, I disappeared for a while. Remember? Look what happened, Rachel." I said. "He's gone…" Rachel pulled me into a hug. Normally, knowing Cammie was fifty feet away, I would have protested. But sometimes, a man needs to let down his cover too.

The next morning, knowing there was a student of mine in the neighboring room, I made sure to shower, dress, and be presentable before sitting down to breakfast. As much as she had seen, and as much as her friends would have liked to hear all about it (a rather embarrassing conversation to pretend you hadn't overheard) I was _not_ about to walk around with my hair looking like it had been blown by a tornado, and wearing only my boxers. While, yes, I worked out to keep my strength and such up, I never wanted people to see the countless scars that ran down my back. It was too much of a reminder, too much of a broken past. Nothing a sixteen year old girl needed to see, after being attacked yesterday. Rachel sat down, still in some flannel pajamas (in late August?) and her hair unbrushed. Cammie, who had seen better days, sat down, dressed in old, warm pajamas and her hair still messy. Although, I couldn't honestly care, I noticed she wasn't trying to fix it, like she normally did. She barely touched her toast. Rachel and I shared a glance, filled with worry and concern, before Cammie looked me in the eye, and said "Is it normal not to want food after a traumatic incident?"

"You tell me, Ms. Morgan." I replied quietly, not exactly perfect at being soft and gentle. That was Dave's expertise, the big softie.

The contemplative look in her eyes, her face, made my throat sting, and I bit back the tears from so much as forming in my eyes. She looked up.

"Well, I'd imagine it would." She said. "I mean, it's not exactly like life goes on after stabbing a guy with a pin, and falling down a laundry chute."

"No, it's not." I said. Rachel smiled sadly, that Cammie had to witness it. She was so very vulnerable at times…

Cammie shoved her plate away, and got up. She came back in two and a half minutes, dressed, showered, and clutching a book. I sat on the couch across from her, pulled out a pair of reading glasses, and opened up a novel, something I didn't do often. Rachel was making a phone call. Cammie looked at me.

"Mr. Solomon?" I looked up, and cocked an eyebrow at her. "Er… I was wondering…" I smiled, egging her to go on. "What exactly is this place?" Something inside me knew, then, she wasn't looking for a deep, hidden meaning behind my ways. She wasn't looking for my past, my broken world of torture and pain. She was… (I almost had to grin) _noticing things._ "I mean, there's fishing poles, and… cat food?" I laughed slightly.

"Have you not yet figured me out, Ms. Morgan?" She rolled her eyes, and a vision of her twenty-odd year old mother flashed across my memory, doing the same thing in my direction. "I take that as a no. Good." She sat up, and something told me she knew this conversation was totally classified between the two of us. I hoped she knew better than me letting her into every nook and cranny of my nightmare-like life. "See, you're looking at the home of a man, who just may enjoy fishing." She looked surprised. I removed my horn-rimmed glasses. "And, I have been known to house a cat once in a while." Cammie looked over to the lake.

"You swim, Mr. Solomon?" I nodded.

"Of course, Cammie. Why would I buy lakefront property if I didn't like to swim?" She gave me her "because-you're-a-spy-and-there-is-so-much-more-you-can-do-with-this-place" look. Well, at least I was pretty positive about the message behind her look. I drank deeply from my glass of water.

"Have you ever strangled someone with a pair of pantyhose?" I spit my water out, in a fashion that only television shows can pull off (and, if you've seen some of the crap they put on the Disney channel now, they aren't very good at it at times).

"Excuse me?" I asked. She hadn't come farther from the truth. I had once strangled somebody…but I don't remember any female undergarments being involved. "Ms. Morgan, where in the world would _I_ get such a clothing article?" I was a bit too embarrassed to say the actual name, although hanging around with Abby Cameron and Rachel Morgan; you'd think I was immune to that kind of stuff. She blushed, and suddenly, I didn't really want to know her answer to that. "Let me ask you this… where did you hear such a ludicrous statement?" She rolled her eyes.

"Tina Walters." My turn to roll my eyes, but I bit back the really strong temptation.

"Tina Walters says a lot of things, Cammie. Tina Walters is usually wrong." I said, mimicking half of the ladies in Cammie's class. She laughed.

"So, you overhear a few conversations." One tends to, in one of the tallest towers of the school building, hiding in the deepest of the shadows, listening in at mealtimes…

"Yes, and let me set a few more rumors straight for you, Ms. Morgan." She gulped. "No, I have no girlfriend. No, I haven't killed anyone with a chainsaw and a bowler hat, and no, I don't hail from Arkansas." She blushed slightly.

"What _else_ did you here?"

"Everything." I said, embellishing the point. "Remember, Ms. Morgan." I said, looking her dead in the eye. "Noticing things means hearing them too." She nodded.

"So, you mean the part where you dressed as a woman and tried to kill off Adolf Hitler's men is totally true then?" I felt my jaw go slightly slack and turning red. Before I could protest, she giggled and said "Kidding!" I laughed.

"Good." Something flickered across her face, something akin to realization. Before I could question it, Rachel walked in the room and winked at me. Somehow, she had heard our conversation.

"So, double- o- hottie." Cammie looked mortified. I turned dark red in an instant. The look on the youngest Morgan's face told me that she had realized the names the students, awkwardly enough, referred to me as.

"Rachel!" I said.

"Wait, so you overhear everything too?" Cammie asked. Rachel, laughing, nodded. Cammie groaned and curled up into her own lap. I wanted the couch to become suddenly animate, develop a taste for a certain Joe Solomon, and swallow me alive. Because at that point, I had never been so embarrassed in my life. Then again, isn't that what parents are for, to embarrass your children for fun, because they love you? Don't ask me, I wouldn't know…

"That's all right Mom. School will never cease to amaze me." She had gotten over her embarrassment, most likely after seeing how bad mine was.

"How so?" I asked, before Rachel could. Cammie looked at me, grinning.

"Remember the very first practical for CoveOps?" I nodded slowly. "Mr. M stopped me in the halls…and needed me to verify that he'd been having fun." I chuckled.

"Oh, Harvey. For the genius that man is, he sure can be a bit naive at times." Rachel said, adoringly. "It's his nativity of mind that reminds you people out there can still be pure, and innocent, and somehow works in our field." Cammie nodded, and muttered "Liz" quietly, I wasn't entirely sure she had said it, even now, when I think back on it.

"Liz is kind of like that." Cammie spoke softly. I nodded.

"You'll find that Ms. Sutton, having grown up in a sheltered home, has that little bit of faith that this are going to be okay." I said. "It's refreshing; especially to find one that's… accident prone." Cammie nodded. "Which, she seems to have understood herself, seeing as she took the research track instead of CoveOps."

"But even desk agents are needed in a covert operation." I said.

"That's why Gallagher requires a semester of it, Ms. Morgan." I replied. "You still need the skills. That's also why she's been included in some of our pop quizzes." She nodded. Rachel sat down next to me, curling her feet underneath her, and clutching the throw pillow nestled in the corner of the couch. I watched her for a moment, curious. Cammie looked bored. I was tired of reading about very cheesy spies who didn't know how to spy for the life of them, so I closed my book, and went into the room with the Queen sized bed, and two suitcases. Despite the fact that Cammie might be weirded out, and the fact that she was in the neighboring room, Rachel and I had kept her in a safe, warm bed so she could heal. I offered Rachel the other bed. She made me share it, instead. Which, I could care less, because I really couldn't sleep anymore. But it made Rachel feel a bit safer, so I went with it. I found a swimsuit, a towel, and my goggles. I changed, pulled my t-shirt on over the swim trunks, and went into the cool breeze. I pulled the shirt over my head, and delved into the water, where it felt cold, then warm. I came up, my head breaking the surface. Cammie sat on the dock.

"Where's your mother?"

"Sleeping off a migraine." She jumped in, wearing a pair of basketball shorts and an old t-shirt. I plugged my nose and went under. She copied me, accept the fact that I was a ways away, and the water was dark, because of the lack of sunlight. She couldn't see me. I was farther now. I was hoping she'd stay, so I could swim and think. But, she followed, although gratefully, she kept her distance. After a while, I stopped to let her catch up. She didn't. Instead, she floated on her back, enjoying herself. I watched her silently, and looked up towards the sky like I had done every single day for years.

"I'll take care of her, Dave. I swear by my left shoe." I whispered. One of our inside jokes, one of so many, I couldn't remember where it began. "I'll make sure Rachel stays safe, too, man." A patch of sunlight broke through, shining right on Cammie's slender form. Tears welling up in my eyes, I smiled and whispered. "You're welcome, my friend."

It was a long time before I could stop the falling tears.


	2. Chapter 2

"**Sometimes people run…to see if you'll come after them." **The words haunted my mind as I sat in my office, struggling to keep my mind on my papers.

That's exactly why I had gone. I wanted Dad to come after me, Mom to stop me in my tracks. I wanted Rachel to stop me and say, "Joe, come home." I wanted my best friend-

I stopped there. There was no way he was alive. Tears welled up in my eyes. I threw my pen across the room, and wiped my face. It was really stupid of me to brood over this stuff. I ran away from home a long time ago, and I ran from the pain a long time ago, too. _Move on with it, Joe._ I couldn't, though. It killed me, the fact that I wasn't there when my best friend's wife lost her husband. Sure, I showed up to the funeral, but after that? Maybe an occasional letter, a rare phone call. And one night time visit where I got in through her window, stayed for three days and left when Cammie came home from a trip at Dave's parents home.

Why was I so emotional? Well, here's the thing; it was the anniversary of the day I met David Morgan, all those years ago, when he guest spoke at Blackthorne. I was a senior, he was twenty. We hit it right off. Soon after, I was best man at his wedding, falling all over myself because of Rachel's drop-dead gorgeous sister (who was currently in the building, and we had both moved on) and eventually becoming devastated when he was proclaimed dead. His poor, sweet mother. She was devastated. I visited them frequently. They knew who I was, but not where I was originated, where I studied. Oh, sure, they knew I'd made a full ride scholarship to Princeton that I accepted, for a chance at normality (when, in actuality, it was anything but). They knew I loved Cammie to death, treated her like a sister, and protected Rachel from the harsh reality of it all. They knew I wasn't in touch with them so much anymore. But what they didn't know was my real job, my actual work. They didn't know what I taught to a bunch of teenage girls that loved each other like sisters, and wore messy buns (until they, awkwardly enough, came to my class) that thought Mr. Moskowitz was "cute" and were weirded out by Mr. Smith's ever-changing faces. It kind of hurt, knowing that we lied to the most innocent woman out there…

She'd been a better mother than my own ever was…is.

Did I mention they're still alive, my parents?

_No, don't mention them, Joe you idiot. They aren't your issue anymore._ I got up, tired of beating myself up, and went into the staff lounge. I sat in a chair closest to the fireplace, and sipped a warm cup of black coffee. Harvey sat next to me.

"You look a bit lost there, Joe. You all right?" I nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine." I said, knowing, at this moment, it was actually true. "Are you feeling all right?" He nodded. Rachel joined us.

"Well, hello Harvey." She sat next to me, and briefly squeezed my shoulder. The red rims around her eyes told me she had known today's meaning for me. I smiled warmly at her.

"Rachel, you look wonderful." Harvey said. Now, that's why I liked Harvey. Because he didn't really mind complimenting people when they needed it, rather than bugging people about their issues. Rachel was, in a word, sexy. I had to admit it. Not that I was into her, gross. I love her to pieces (way to sound like a girl, Joe) but not like that. She was more like a sister. Besides that, she was Dave's property. And I would never do that to him. I mean, he once made me promise to marry her if we ever fell in love… but she still was in love with Dave. There wasn't that between us. But, as I was saying, Rachel, all her life, had every annoying male look at her and calls her sexy. The only one she liked to hear that from was Dave. It wasn't often she got "beautiful" or "wonderful" or "gorgeous." She always smiled when it wasn't at a horrible flirting attempt.

"Wow, thanks Harvey." She went a bit pink in her cheeks. "I really needed that, actually." He grinned bashfully.

"No problem." He sounded embarrassed but happy. I winked at him. There was an absurd time where I thought he liked her. Mr. Smith's response when he heard I was wrong was to say, "stop the presses, Joe Solomon's wrong!" I laughed it off, because it was true, in a sense. Usually, I make sure I've got my facts straight, before I can make my statement. Apparently, I missed a few. After a few more polite exchanges, I got up, and went to bed.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

_I caught the sight of a nearby boy, aged ten, blonde hair dirty and plastered to his forehead. Sobs shook his shoulders. His small frame was much too small, but the lines of fear, anxiety, worry, proved that he was much to mature for his age. A drunken man stumbled towards him. The boy shook worse, from fear more than from his tears._

_"Joey, son…" He slurred his speech, wasted beyond belief. The boy stood, and looked at the floor._

_"Yes, father." The boy was bodily thrown across the room. I winced at the audible crack of his ribs._

_"You'll get your payment for that, boy. For making me lose my job." The boy called Joey curled up in a terrified ball, struggling not to show a sign of weakness. The father punched him in the kidneys. Then, pulled out a knife. Joey's dark eyes widened in fear, and he uncurled from his fetal position, slowly backing up, until his back was pressing against the wall. The man pinned his son to the ground. He screamed in terror._

_"Come here, Joey. Time to let Daddy have some fun." The slurring was worse now. The man slowly dragged his knife across the boy's neck, going a bit deeper each time. I winced as the boy howled._

I woke with a start, a cold sweat running down my face. The back of my neck throbbed, the now-repaired tendons and ligaments aching in remembrance. I leaned back into my pillows.

Another abuse nightmare. That was the third one this week. I crawled out of bed, no longer able to sleep. I pulled on a pair of jeans over my plain black boxers and pulling a belt through the loops. I slipped my shoes on, and grabbed my hoodie, pulling it over my head before heading into the chilly elevator, and out of the Sublevels, into the cold hallways of Gallagher Academy. I slowly made my way down the hall, intending on heading somewhere other than my nightmarish sleep, when a feeling came over me. One I caught quickly.

A student was out of bed. I turned to find Cammie standing there, looking shocked.

"Mr. Solomon?" I caught her pajama-clad state, her tennis shoes without socks, her unkempt hair, and slight drowsiness.

"Couldn't sleep, Ms. Morgan?" I asked quietly. She shook her head, and approached me. I chuckled quietly. "Me either." She came over to me, and looked at the statue of Gillian we stood in front of.

"I caught that so many times…"

"It took me a while to figure it out too." I replied softly. "See, Cammie, it's one of those times, where the answer with be standing in front of you with a big sign saying 'look at me!' and you still can't find it." She chuckled slightly.

"Honestly, that's a little more comforting." I cocked an eyebrow at her. "I mean, you're the best spy I know, Mr. Solomon. If I wasn't the only one who couldn't figure it out…" She paused for a moment, looking me in the eye. "Then I wasn't the only one." That made sense. What spy wants to be totally alone on that kind of statement? She began to shiver. I wrapped an arm around her thin shoulders. "Mr. Solomon?"

"Ms. Morgan?"

"Where exactly are you going?" I looked around, making sure there wasn't a sole in sight, before leading her towards the P&E barn.

"Well, Ms. Morgan, I happen to like doing things that preoccupy my mind when I can't sleep."

"Or something disturbed your sleep." She accused. I struggled not to allow my face to go red.

"How did you know?"

"Your hair is a mess, and you aren't wearing a t-shirt under your sweatshirt. And the circles under your eyes show that you've been disrupted from your sleep." I blinked. She was certainly Dave's child.

"Very clever, Ms. Morgan." I said. "You certainly are your father's daughter." She looked away. I scaled the wall, into the higher loft, and sat, rather than practiced my karate moves or started doing some push-ups. It would have been a good idea, get the blood flowing through my cold limbs, but Cammie's warm, pajama clad frame sat closer. She shivered. I put my arm around her shoulders again. We sat in a contended silence.

"Do you miss him?" I didn't need to ask to know who she meant.

"He was my best friend, Cammie." I said, deliberating my choice of words. I didn't want to hurt her again, like the first day of school that I taught. "He saved me from myself, when nobody else could. He saw through my mask, my…."

"Defenses?" Cammie supplied the word.

"Exactly. He was there for me when I ran, ran from those who bring the very life to you, that brought you into this world. My father wanted nothing more than to take me back out of it. Your father saw through my scars, my burn marks, and my pain filled eyes. He saw right passed it all." I looked at her. "Like you saw past the fact that my sweatshirt is the only thing I have on top. How did you know that?" She blushed slightly.

"Uh, well, it's a little big around the neck." Oh…

"I see." I said. We went quiet.

"What happened to him?" She whispered.

"Nobody knows Cammie." I replied in a low tone. She shook her head.

"You're wrong." Then, she repeated the words Zachary Goode had tried too hard to pound into my head, along with Grant, and Jonas.

"Someone does."

A single tear ran down her cheek. I brushed it away, and, like I did so often fourteen years ago, I pressed my lips to her forehead. After all, when she had no father, who else would, as Dave had so eloquently worded it, "kiss it better?" She leaned into my chest.

"Maybe I gave you some of the best advice earlier, Cammie." I said to her. She looked up, confused. I brushed a stray hair from her face, and tucked it behind her ear. Then I realized that would be the single creepiest thing I have ever done to a girl her age. Ever. _Forgive me, Dave, I meant it like you always did. Like the Godfather I'm supposed to be._"Running, just to see if someone will come after you. Is that what you did?" She bit her lip, and nodded sheepishly.

"Maybe that's why Mom retreated to her office afterwards, and won't let anyone in." She sat upright.

"Cammie, I've know your mother better than I've know myself at times. Do you honestly think, in the state she's in, she'd want us to see her looking her most vulnerable." She deliberated that. "Your friend, Rebecca Baxter, she'll be fresh on your tail." Cammie giggled.

"Or, Lizzie probably put a tracker in every button on my pajamas." She added. I laughed.

"Ms. McHenry might have sprayed you with some perfume Ms. Sutton laced with a tracker, which Ms. Baxter will then use to find you, by scent or by the trackers, whichever's more dangerous." She burst out laughing.

"I wouldn't put it past them." I leaned against the post, and watched her laugh. So much like her mother and aunt before her.

"Thank you, Mr. Solomon."

"Whatever for, Ms. Morgan?" She rolled her eyes at the formality.

"The laugh. I needed that." I grinned.

"Hey, anything for a family I hold very dear to me. Repeat that to anyone and I'll have you in detention for months on end." She laughed again. I rose to my feet, and reached out a hand, helping her to her feet.

"So, if I hadn't come with you, what would you have done?" I smirked and glanced towards the weights. She looked at me. "How much?" I rolled my eyes.

"I'll tell you that if you tell me how you got to Ohio." Her eyes widened in shock. "I have my sources. I won't tell your mother. No." She looked surprised. "Because I suspect it's something I won't ever understand." She snorted.

"Girls intuition?" I laughed.

"Quoting him?" She nodded. "No, that's not what I meant." She looked up at me. "I meant a sisterhood. That's one thing no man will ever understand. I get the woman's intuition thing." I said. "Almost like what the celebrity gossip journalists call a 'bromance.'" She laughed. "I get that part. What I don't get, is a sisterhood."

"You didn't get a brotherhood?"

"No, not at my…" I narrowed my eyes at her. "What do you mean by that?" She looked at me evenly.

"You were best friends with my father." She retorted, her voice cool, calm, collected.

"Right." I dropped the slight suspicion. "Sorry, got a bit…"

"I know." I lead her into the school, holding open doors, and sneaking her past teachers, who knew this would be a rough week for me, but didn't know I had a student in my possession, so to speak. I got her back to her dorm.

"A word of anything I said gets out; you'll be scrubbing the Sublevels until you get married."

"It'll be awfully difficult to find someone in the Sublevels." She said. I looked in her eyes. That was the point. It's kind of my duty as Godfather….

"Exactly." I turned and left the room. I felt better, by the enlightening conversation with Cammie. She's got a different aspect to the whole…all of it.

After that talk, I slept without another nightmare.


	3. Chapter 3

"And that makes sense, because…." Zach looked at Cammie, confused. I slinked into the shadows. Okay, I knew they were seniors and all, but come on, them, break curfew? I had the brains not to tattle for Cammie wandering the halls last week, but now it was to make out with her boyfriend? Really?

"But I know he is, Zach. Something tells me he is. And I want to find him." Okay, so there wasn't anything that was kissing related going on. But, then again, you could never be sure. Especially with a guy like Zach.

"Come on, Cammie, don't be a fool."

"I'm not, I'm a spy following her instincts, something you seem to do quite often."

"But it's a rescue mission! Cammie, do you even have the clearance?"

"Are you kidding me? Zach, we cleared Mr. Solomon's name, and turned your mom in-" I winced at that. "I hated doing that to you, but it was the right thing. And you want to know if we've got the clearance to rescue my own father." I froze, unmoving, not breathing. She knew?

"Cammie…."

"It's my mom and Mr. Solomon too. Like you didn't notice. They know he's alive. Zach, this is my dad. You would do it too, if you were me!" She said. He was silent. "Zach, I know you don't know what happened to your dad, but I know how you feel about Mr. Solomon."

"Cammie, he practically is my dad."

"That's what I was saying." She said. I blushed. "If he went missing, I'd help you find him too."

"He did go missing, Cam. Remember?"

"And with Townsend watching my every move, not to mention CIA agents and my mom on my back? I would have, and I did, when I could. Mom let me because she knew the truth, and I had figured it out. I wasn't letting the best spy I knew get killed, Zach. And I don't want that to happen to my dad either, and he's another awesome spy." Zach was silent. "Why won't you help me?"

"Because I don't want a mission, Cammie. I want to be semi normal for a while, to relax and enjoy my life. I don't want my mom's minions to follow me around, and kill one of us, or both. And I can't do that to Joe. I just got him back, Cam." He said the last part with so much pain, that tears had filled my eyes, and a lump had constricted my throat. "I can't just leave him."

"So, get him to help us. He'll understand."

"That's just as dangerous. Half the CIA doesn't trust him still, and the Circle is after him more than ever. You can't…" He went quiet. "Look, Cam, get your friend's to go, because I don't think I can handle that." There was a pause. "Emotionally, or physically. Everything my mom tried to do destroyed me, I can't…" She soothed him, and I heard kissing noises. I took a quiet, deep breath to clear the tears and the lump in my throat, then rounded the corner.

"Aren't you two supposed to be in bed?" They jumped apart, looking embarrassed. "Bed, now. Both of you."

"Yes Mr. Solomon." They mumbled. I went on my way to the Sublevels.

She knew something. Cammie knew something she hadn't told me about her dad. And it may be that he was alive.

But that was impossible. I watched him die. He had said, "Tell them I love them!" And I followed that faithfully. But now, I was questioning the credibility of the biggest group of liars I knew. I dropped into my desk chair, and rubbed my hand across my face.

This wouldn't end well, would it?

About two weeks later, I found myself sitting at dinner, when I heard the unmistakable excitement in the voices of the students.

"What's going on?" Harvey asked.

"A trip to the city, I'd presume." I said to him, sipping my glass of water, and biting into the best Reuben I had ever eaten. Harvey laughed.

"Those girls, they always get excited over this kind of stuff." I smiled.

"Remember the days at Blackthorne, Joe?" Mr. Smith asked me; I had no idea how he knew I went there, which was scary. Then again, he did know Dave. "You never got out unless you were doing your laps."

"How in the world did you…" Harvey asked.

"I guest spoke there once or twice." He said. "About six years ago was the last time." He said.

"That's how I met Dave." I said. "He guest spoke there my senior year."

"Oh?" I nodded, and drank deeply from my glass of water. I heard a loud, "I am not!" In English, and looked over at the senior table, where Cammie was glaring at Tina Walters. Oh, boy, what now?

"Then why do you always hang around him!"

"Because he's my teacher, I have classes with I'm!" She said, like it was the most obvious statement in the world. I would have laughed, if I hadn't been dreading the conversation.

"I mean outside of classes!" Tina argued back. The entire hall had gone totally silent.

"He saved my life, Tina. What do you expect, for me to pretend he didn't?" Cammie retorted bitingly. Rachel made to stand. I stopped her.

"But, it's creepy. Like he has a crush on you." Oh, this just got better and better.

"He's my Dad's best friend! That's weird, Tina." She said. "You are never right about these things, and this time, you've been so far off instead of hitting Australia, that it went to Antarctica." That sounded like something Abby would say. Or maybe even Dave. "Maybe you should learn to get a better source, or get your facts straight, before accusing somebody of a bunch of lies, Tina. I am not seeing Mr. Solomon. He's nothing more than my friend, and the guy who saved my life. He's not my boyfriend, or my secret lover. He's…" She looked me square in the eye. "He's just…a friend." I liked that….a friend. That was something I didn't have many of.

"And, I hear, your Godfather?"

"Yeah, he's that too." Cammie said. "Which is all the more reason to not date him." Cammie said, standing up and storming away.

"Now you can follow her." I said, quiet enough where only she could here. Rachel ran after her. I turned back to my sandwich. Zach was in front of me in moments.

"What?" I asked.

"Where do people get their rumors?" Goode question, Zach. Goode question.


	4. Chapter 4

We were in the city. I was bored out of my mind, waiting for a danger not going to appear. I watched as Cammie and Zach headed towards the diner, Lizzie went with Anna to the Abram's drugstore, and Bex and Macey headed to the movies. I was sitting on a bench, my students totally ignoring the fact that I sat there. A familiar, ginger ponytail clipped to the top of a freckled head sat next to me. Her glasses were smeared with fingerprints from constantly pushing them up, and her face was red from the sun. Her t-shirt had Harry Potter on it, and a pair of skinny jeans clung to her hips, wider than most girls, but only filling a size twelve. She had on untied Heelys that lacked the wheels, and her braces were fixing the relapse in her crooked-toothed grin she desperately tried to fight. A silver class ring shined in the sun. Her arms freckled on top, and vampire-white on the underside sat on her lap.

"Well, hello there, Lily." I said. She smirked.

"Joe." She flashed her green-and-black braces at me. Slytherin colors, she once told me.

"Nerdy as ever, I see." She giggled. "How are you?"

"Great. My braces are coming off-again- and I'm talking to you. Couldn't be better." I chuckled. Rachel smirked as she passed me, swiftly dropping a note in my lap. I read the Evapopaper, and stuffed it unceremoniously and ungentlemanly into my mouth. Gross….

Lily giggled. "Nice face, Joe."

"Well, I was destroying the evidence that you are with me. Can't have certain terrorist organizations after you, can we?" She rolled her eyes.

"I might be a klutz, a total nerd, and at times more eccentric then Sherlock Holmes, but I'm not stupid, Joe." I smiled at her.

"I never said such a statement, Lily." I said quietly. "Are you moved out?" She nodded. "So, you'll be staying with me. For good?" This grin was excited, was longing for a companion.

"Yeah buddy!" She said. I snickered. Once I knew my students were out of sight, I took her hand, and kissed her forehead.

"I've missed you, my love."

That next morning, I woke up, fully awake, and heading up for breakfast. I looked over, and found my companion was gone, the bed a bit messy, and a smell of bacon wafting into the bedroom. I grinned and went into the kitchen, wearing my boxers, and nothing more. She had on a pair of shorts, and a tank top, her hair a mess, with the ponytail bump in it from her usual hairstyle. I slid my arms around her waist, and kissed her neck. Ticklish as ever, she giggled that giggle I had fallen hard and fast for.

"This is a pleasant surprise."

"Well, it's Saturday, and I've been lonely. If you aren't busy, I kind of wanted you to myself." She had blushed slightly, embarrassed by her request. My Lily was shy, naïve, and had a tendency to be uncomfortable with voicing certain requests. She was very shy about her sexuality too. It made for a very awkward wedding night, but in the end, it had given her a bit of confidence. I told her daily she was the most gorgeous woman I'd ever met. I believed it. She laughed at me and said she'd seen prettier. I said "Baby, I have too. But I haven't met anyone more gorgeous." She blushed.

"Breakfast is done, babe." She said, snapping me from my train of thought. I took two plates, a mug, a glass, and cutlery. I filled her glass with cool water, and mine with warm coffee. She laid out the food. We ate, and caught up. Lily explained to me that she had finally gotten her masters in English, and wanted to finally settle down and write that novel. Really write it. I supported her uncanny ability to sit down, and have a small scene written in twenty minutes to a half hour. I kissed her tenderly on each finger, before pressing my lips to the simple band I'd placed there six years ago. She smiled, and leaned in, kissing me, before taking her plate to wash up. She had always been a faster eater, and liked washing her own plate, rather than making me do it. I was soon finished, and putting my own dishes away. I found her, curled up in an armchair, and reading a mystery novel. I leaned in, pulled the book out, marked her page, and pulled her from the seat. She looked puzzled, until I pulled her into my arms, snaked my arms around her curvy waist, and pressed my chapped lips to her soft ones. She slid her arms up my chest, and around my neck. I deepened the kiss, asking for entrance into her mouth, and sliding my tongue in. She blushed after letting out a soft moan. _Always so reserved, my sweet._ I slid my hand up her shirt, across her midsection, and up towards her breasts.

I continued the kiss, parting from time to time to allow us some oxygen. I slowly dragged her back to the bedroom, and, pushed her back gently onto the soft, inviting bed. I crawled on top of her, supporting my weight with my hands. She removed her glasses, as to prevent them breaking, and slid up so her head touched her pillow. I grinned wickedly at her, and, while pulling up the Mario Kart t-shirt (only my nerd) she sported, I kissed my way up the ghost-white flesh of a girl who could never tan. She shivered. I smirked, and kissed my way up, removing the clothing, and kissed her neck, her jaw, her cheek and her now-swollen lips.

We spent the better part of Saturday, making love like it was nobody's business. Dave always did say I had a sex drive like a fricken rabbit. Maybe he was right. Then again, I'm not sure how he'd ever known that…. Kind of creepy, when you think about it.

She stumbled into the shower Sunday morning, sore, and tired. I joined her, knowing her low pain tolerance would make some of the aches unbearable. I massaged the soap onto her freckled shoulders and upper back, tracing down her spine, and reaching the paler spot on her back. After the shower, and a sleepy "thanks, Joey Bear," she curled up in her favorite chair, and promptly conked out. I smiled lovingly at her, and kissed her forehead, and went into my classroom, scrawling down corrections, grades, and notes for the following weeks lessons. I would have to get Lily in on this, this time. She was good at pretending to not be my blushing bride…almost literally. I devised a plan. Note to Joe: Get Harvey, Mr. Smith (what was his first name?) and Rachel to join me. After dinner rolled around, I went into the Grand Hall, and slid into my place next to Rachel. The teachers smirked knowingly, and the students looked surprised. I was really quite confused.

"Someone got laid last night." I heard two seniors say as they walked by. Was it _that_ obvious?

"You've got Lily back, don't you?" Rachel asked in quick Ancient Greek.

"Why? Is it that obvious?" I retorted in the same tongue.

"Clearly. You're happier, more relaxed." I was turning into an old softy…

Shut up." I said. She laughed. I ate my dinner quickly, and went back into the Sublevels, dropping a fake pop quiz rumor as I went. Good, that'll teach them. Lily would look mortified, tell me it was cruel. I wanted the paranoia to keep them from my sex life. I found her still asleep. I shook her awake.

"Hon, you've been asleep all day."

"No, I was writing earlier."She told me. "And checking my Twitter and such." She said. "I just fell back asleep." I winced.

"Sorry, sweetheart."

"No, Joey, you're fine." She kissed my jaw. "I wanted to watch a movie with you anyway." I had another idea, but I really didn't want to be tired in class tomorrow, and I didn't particularly want to change the sheets a second time. My wife, my age yet still her teenaged self at heart, picked out, while blushing, a movie I'd been forced to watch once with Rachel and Abby, after Dave had died.

"Grease Lightning?" She giggled.

"Or 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding.'" She sounded embarrassed.

"Put in the second one, I haven't seen that." She smiled and did just that. I pulled her into my arms. She leaned against my chest, slowly sliding down until her head was in my lap, my fingers running through the wavy red hair.

It was good to have my beloved back.


	5. Chapter 5

"Subject spotted." I heard in my left ear. I had two sets of comms units in. One for my friends, one for my students. The left current heard the voice of Rebecca Baxter. "Chameleon, do you see him?" Their object? Find Zach and not get caught. I had assigned several teachers and a few close friends of mine to certain students. I would be tailing Cammie. Zach's mission was the hardest; get back to school, untailed, and unseen by the girls.

"I've got him. Duchess, where are you? Oh, wait. Never mind."

"Ms. Morgan." I said quietly. Instantly, both voices went "Yes?"

"How many stores have you passed that have a mannequin in the window?" I said. "I was cheating a bit…but that's what she gets for trusting a guy like me.

"Twelve." Found her instantly. I was on her in a flash.

"All right, ladies, listen up. From here on out, I'm dropping my comms unit. The game starts now. You'll meet Madame Dabney back in the classroom in two hours. The game starts now. Good luck." I pulled the unit out, and slipped it in a secret pocket of my jacket, which I then zipped shut. I pulled on a hat, called a Snapback (weren't these supposedly popular when I was a kid?) hid my regular shoes in a nearby Gallagher van, and pulled on a pair of black high-tops. I also took off the pants I wore, revealing skinny jeans that teens wore, slightly sagged. I slid onto a bench with someone similarly attired, only they were wearing sunglasses. He looked at me.

"Dude." I said, making my voice a little less deep. "You got that thing you wanted to show me?" Cammie passed right by us.

"Couple of skaters, nothing much." I heard her mumble to her comms unit. I smirked. The other "skater" laughed at something on a phone, revealing a set of green and black braces. I laughed too.

"Hold on, bro. I'm going to go get something to drink."

"Don't sweat it, dude. I gotta fly anyway." We knuckle touched (Blackthorne invention, I might add. Great for drop passes, particularly into one's lap). I heard someone in my right ear.

"Joe, I spot the signal. I'm moving out."

"Go, Rachel." I said, standing on a skateboard that was hidden under the bench, and riding off, keeping close behind Cammie. She turned to glance at me. I heard her whisper "Followed." I skateboarded right past her, did a twisted kick flip, and was off, behind a building, changing at rapid fire. I dropped my jacket, jeans, hat, and high tops into the next awaiting van, and pulled on a pair of shorts, a pair of scuffed Converse, a backpack, a blonde wig, and a blue button up over my white undershirt. I ran out of the street, walking in the same direction as Cammie, just behind her. She looked at me, then turned back around, saying something to Mick nearby. I slid onto a bench with a pretty girl, red hair straightened, lip gloss applied, nails freshly painted, and a nice skirt and button down on. Wow, that was impressive.

"Hi!" I said, my voice taking on a faint British accent. I kissed her cheek. "How are you?" I got another smile, filled with the same braces again.

"Good." She said, her normal voice. "Missed you."

"Aww, I missed you too." I said, trying really hard not to vomit at the clichéd, disgustingly romantic tactics I had used. I pressed my lips full to Lily's, working into a slight make out session. I was pretending it was for the mission. I just really wanted to kiss her. I sat up. Cammie was now moving towards the street.

"Gotta go! Missed my sister!"

"Bye!" I ran, dropping the backpack with Mr. Smith, who was talking to Anna Fetterman, and ran some more. I caught Doctor Fibs, and Harvey, Rachel, and a few more girls. I ran behind Zach, said ," Gotcha!" And continued towards my goal. He'd already been caught by Cammie, which hadn't surprised me. But, now, she'd get caught by me.

She reached the classroom, looking around.

"I… I did it." I stepped from the shadows.

"Not so fast, Ms. Morgan." She looked confused. I tossed the wig to the side, and she gasped.

"What? You, I…." Shortly thereafter, I found two girls coming in. One a student….one the very same I'd slept in the same bed as last night.

"Caught her." She sounded surprised more than anything. Lily may not be a spy, but she can read people like an open book, knowing how to tell when they were really on a mission, not a distressed person talking to themselves.

"Very good, Lily. Very impressive." I said. She smirked. Several more students came in. Rebecca came in alone.

"Excellent, Ms. Baxter." I said.

"Ten points to Gryffindor." I heard someone mutter behind me. I smirked at the nerdiness of my beloved Lily. Soon after, Rachel came in.

"She's the last one. Harvey's coming down shortly. I lost her." She shook her head. "I guess I'm not as good as I used to be." I disagree. She was just…rusty, if you will.

"Wait…" Cammie looked at Lily, confused. "You…" She turned to me. "Why were you kissing her?"

"All part of the disguise, Ms. Morgan." I said. "It's the same reason I'm wearing these Converse right now. And the skinny jeans from earlier." She looked at me.

"Dang he's good." Lily said. I wanted to kiss her again. Really bad. But I resisted the urge. "What? Oh, come on, you can't honestly think I'd date him? Yeah right."

"Are you…serious?"

"He's like ten years my senior. Like he'd want me." I knew she was going with the secret, but that still made me sad for her. She'd once believed it too.

"Why do you still have braces, then?"

"I relapsed, next question."

"Who are you?" Oh, crap. Leave it to Baxter.

"That's classified. Next question." She said so smoothly, even _I_ almost believed it. Cammie didn't look convinced.

"We met yesterday." I said, looking at her for a moment. "I don't even think I know your last name."

"That's classified, Solomon, next question."

"He doesn't know your last name, but you know his?"

"Agent Solomon." I turned at the sound of my name. "We'll be heading back to headquarters." We shook hands warmly. I turned to my class.

"Class dismissed." I said. Lily sat on my desk. I gripped the back of the chair like normal. "Any particular reason you're sitting there?"

"I hate chairs?" Oh, Lily.

"That's an interesting alternative." I said. "Sitting amongst a man's unchecked tests, quizzes, and homework assignments." She giggled.

"Well, they say paper is more comfortable than chairs."

"Whose 'they?'" I asked, now thoroughly amused.

"You know, the 'I hate chairs' clan."

"Oh, now there's a clan?" I asked. She nodded going. "Mm hmmm." We looked at each other for five seconds before we burst out laughing.

"A clan?" I asked.

"Oh, like you have a better idea." I nodded.

"I do. Giving Ms. Morgan detention for not leaving when she was told." I didn't need to turn around to find out she was blushing. I did anyway. "Cammie, go back to your room. Get some rest, do your homework. Don't hang around here." I said.

"Just…" She looked at me. I turned to Lily.

"You know where it is."

"If not, I'll manage." She hopped off the desk, and left the room. Instantly, I heard a squeaking of her Heelys on the ground, and a loud, "I'm okay." I rolled my eyes. Oh, Lily…

"Who is she?" Cammie asked.

"That's actually classified."

"Says who, the CIA?"

"Says Joseph Solomon, actually." I retorted. "What's wrong, Cammie? You seem… I don't know…" She dropped her act, and approached me, hugging me. I rubbed my hand up and down her back. Lily peaked in, smiling. Until she saw Cammie, that is.

"Do you think he's still alive?" That question haunted my thoughts every day.

"I don't know, Cammie." I whispered. Lily's eyes filled with tears. "I don't know."

A few minutes later, I met Lily in the warmth of our quarters. I pulled her into my awaiting arms, and held on tight. She pulled away after a moment, and sat me on the couch, curling up into my lap.

It was a long time before I stopped crying for Cammie…

…and before Lily stopped crying for me.

The next week took a bit getting used to.

I was staying up extra late, and checking my students work. It was becoming increasingly difficult, however, with a sexy, curvy, rather female distraction next to me every time I crawled into bed now. But, after having Lily be part of that mission…. Now I was going to hear it from none other than Tina Walters.

The next morning, my junior CoveOps class sat in the cold room, like any other morning. I walked in.

"Ladies, this isn't just some-" I stopped when Tina raised a hand. "Ms. Walters, can the question wait?"

"Who was that girl, Mr. Solomon?"

"Nobody you need to worry about, now-"

"Was she your girlfriend?" That was pretty close. I slowly walked back to the front of the room. I was debating the answer, while building up some tension and intimidating them.

"Ms. Walters. Are you aware, that you have hit Antarctica? You were most likely aiming for Australia, which you have missed by a long shot, thus you have reached the Southern Ocean. And don't let Mr. Smith tell you it doesn't exist, because it sure does." I said.** (A/N I can't take total credit. Check out my reviews, I quoted, with full permission, xCanadianxAngelx. Thanks girl!)** The class went silent. "Now, as I was saying."

"You just got served." I heard Zach mutter. Oh, hush, brat. I glanced slightly at him. He smirked cockily.

Oh, this just gets better and better….

That night, I was checking papers, Lily typing furiously at her laptop, working on her novel like mad. I had drowned out the sounds of it, by checking papers. After a while, I put the pen down, and she shut her laptop off. The lights went out.

A terrified "Joey bear? Where are you?" came shakily from across the room. Oh, crap…

"Don't worry, Lily, we'll be-" the lights flickered back on. The Sublevels tended to do that. I wasn't sure if it was the electric wiring, or if maybe it was just the room. I never noticed the classrooms do that…

She was ghost white. "Lily, come here." I pulled her into my lap once she reached me, and kissed her. I comforted the scared girl.

Let me back it up a bit.

You're probably wondering why she made me happy and different. After all, I didn't have an intelligent spy partner like I could with Abby. It's simple really.

Lily was my escape from the harsh life of a spy. She gave me a taste of the artist eccentrism. I loved not having to deal with all the constant dangers and worries. I could walk in, and hear about the latest project. She knew what I did, knew about the Academy…but it was such a basic knowledge. The novel she wrote was based off her ideas alone, a spy world she would, hopefully, never know. I loved her ability to trip over flat surfaces (a skill, she called it many a time) and her love for a few chick flicks, but mostly older shows, like Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Full House. Lily gave me that comfort my parents never did, gave me the love that no girl was willing to give. She saw through my pain and my façade, when she me met me, eight years ago in a lonely cold hotel room, where I was checking in, and she was heading towards the pool. I talked to her in the pool; fell in love with her comforting nature, especially when she realized it was the day my best friend went missing. I liked the fact that we were total opposites. Rachel was worried, but not for my well being. No, for hers. The Circle would be after her for sure. If I became any closer in my plans, then they'd be gone before Christmas. Zach would be there to make sure of it.

I just hoped I was right….


	6. Chapter 6

"Who is Lily, and why are you so relaxed all of the sudden?" I didn't answer the question from his lips yet, intent on finishing the last test before I could go see my wife. I looked up, and Zach was leaning against the wall, still waiting for my answer.

"She's someone I know, and I think I've made a better lead in our plans." I said. He dropped the irritated guard suddenly.

"So…you _didn't_ get laid."

"No. Now, enough about my sex life. Look." I pulled out the list of people suspected by the CIA. I had been one of them. Rachel and Zach were my back up on this one. Sure, I was part of the Circle, but I was that section trying to take the Circle down, not build it up. I'm not a terrorist. That's the last thing on my mind. In fact, most of the people in the Circle only are terrorists because they have a bit too much time on their hands, and old vendetta's they can't seem to let go. "I'm slowly moving to the top of their list. My graduation from Blackthorne, although very few know of its true nature, they know that I went there, and that it's a recruitment hotspot. They'll be coming in to question me. You and Rachel are going to tell them, willingly, that I'm a double agent on the CIA's side. They don't like these projects, but if the son of Catherine Goode it there to back me up, it'll have a good effect. We can't tell them what we know."

"But planting falsehoods makes you a triple agent."

"Right, which is what we aren't going to do." I picked up a notebook written in my own penmanship, artfully coded and detailed. "So, I'm going to say I don't know much." I heard someone failing at all attempts to whistle. Lily walked in then, then froze.

"Come on in, Lily," I said, putting away the notebook. She knew a terrorist organization could one day come after me. She didn't know that I was trying to secretly take one down. I kept her dark about my jobs. I told her I'd be gone. Afterwards, if I wasn't too beat up, I'd buy her something to prove I was all right. Rarely did I come home to beat up to not be able too. Once, I couldn't get to a shop, or I'd have died. Lily was blissfully unaware exactly how dangerous my job was. Oh, boy.

"This is Zach, Lily. Lily…she's my wife." I said. Zach looked surprised.

"What? Wait, sense when?"

"Sense six years ago." I replied back. "Sit, Zach. Look, hon, I've got a million and one things to do, you don't…" She rolled her eyes.

"Chill, I get it, its top secret."

"Actually, no. I have research papers to correct." I hated lying…but it wasn't totally untrue, so I felt a little better about that.

"Oh… well, I was making sure you'd make it to dinner."

"Probably not. You want to just do some sandwiches when I get back?"

"Sure." She said. I felt bad, making her cook all the time. I tried not to, but….

"I'm really sorry." She kissed my cheek.

"Don't worry about it, Joe. It's fine. I'll see you boys later." She smiled and left. I had to make it up to her somehow.

"She wanted to tell you something important. How much younger is she?"

"Little more than ten years."

"Why so young?"

"Because it's not the age, Zach, it's her I like." I retorted. "Wait…what did you mean by 'wanted to tell me something.'"

"I don't know, but she seemed a bit bummed that you were busy right at the moment." Now I felt really bad. I'd have to make it back quicker than I normally did.

"All right. Look, Zach. Here's what we're going to tell them." I said. "These are the people they're targeting, this is their deceased list, and there is the-"

"Joe?" He whispered.

"What?" I asked. He handed me the list.

"You told me six people died last month, and twenty in the past year."

"Yeah."

"I memorized every name on that list."

"So?"

"Why is there a vital one missing?" I checked that list again…

Our number one dead man was missing from the list….

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Honey, I'm-" I froze. I heard retching in the bathroom, then dropped my bag, and ran. I found Lily, hunched over on her hands and knees, sweating like crazy, ghost white, and vomiting profusely. I swore in French, and pulled her hair back into a really crappy ponytail job, and rubbed her back.

"Shhhh, honey, just relax." She finally calmed down, and topped. I pulled her against my chest, and stroked her hair. "What happened?"

"I…I don't know. It happened yesterday too."

"What?"

"Only the one time, then I'm okay later on." She said. "Plus, I didn't tell you. I'm late." My heart stopped.

"What?"

"I can't figure it out, and I'm freaking out, Joey." I calmed her again, kissing her forehead.

"Let's go see the doctor." I carried her into the room where sick kids were taken care of. I put her gingerly on a bed, and found a doctor.

"Doctor Anderson, hello."

"Ah, Mr. Solomon." I told him what happened. He checked her over, and took some blood and urine for a few tests. We sat nervously. I hoped she'd be all right.

He came back smiling.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"What do you mean, pregnant?" Rachel shouted at me. "Joe!"

"Like I can control when she gets pregnant or not, Rachel." I snapped. "I'm just as concerned as you about this! I'm the one trying to destroy the Circle, and if they get wind of my kid, they'll recruit it in a heartbeat. You know what they do to those kids? Tell her, Zach."

"They grow up in Blackthorne." Zach said. "They get abused, and sometimes tortured. They treat Circle kids horrible." Zach said. "Pregnant."

"I always wanted to be a dad, but…. Not unit the Circle was gone." I said, collapsing into a chair.

"Look, Joe. I'm sorry. I know it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry."

"Well, technically, it was his fault. He's the one who was…you know… gettin' it on with her." I glared at him. "It's true, I didn't get her pregnant." I dropped my head into my hands.

"Her mother's going to have a field day with this." I said. "Her father's going to kill me. He thinks I abandon her enough as it is."

"But, doesn't he…"

"We told him I'm part of an intelligence agency working to protect the Ambassadors." I retorted. "He still hates that I'm not around."

"Does she know?"

"She knows I'm a CIA operative, that there is every chance I could not make it back, and that there are terrorists who may or may not make that happen. She doesn't know the extent of the danger, what I'm really doing, nor does she know anything about my missions, asides the whole 'see you in a few months, honey' spiel I've given her time and again. One day, she'll see me all right, but I won't be alive to greet her." The truth of that rang out around the office. Rachel nodded solemnly. Zach and I couldn't bring ourselves to tell her…

"Look. We'll just get through this day by day, all right. Zach told me you're closer in your plans."

"I believe I know where their main headquarters is." I said. "I've never been there myself, so I wouldn't know." I said. "But it's more than what I originally planned on suspecting." I turned to Zach. "Does your mom want you home for Christmas?" He nodded. "Where do you stay?"

"Wherever she goes. It's always different. Mostly in Istanbul….." He stopped.

"That's where I thought Headquarters was located." I said quietly. He nodded.

"You think you could help us Zach? We'll get a huge backup waiting if things go wrong. " Rachel said. He looked at us both.

"What do I have to do?"

"First… get those plans we talked about." I said. Translation; Find out about dead man number one, along with digging up anything on the newest hit list. "Second, place trackers. The CIA can't know about these, only us. We'll keep tabs on the whole place, making sure they don't change locations." Zach nodded. "Third, call in the backup, and have them take the place down." I turned to Rachel. "We'll work out the finer details later on. We have a while before something will actually happen." She nodded. I turned to Zach. "Convince her to allow me to be part of that security detail she insists you have. It'll be more convincing to the Circle. Rachel, when the CIA gets here, make sure they know we've got a plan, they'll have to follow our lead." She nodded. "For now, I think I'll go to bed." I went into the Sublevels, and crawled into bed next to Lily, who was asleep. I kissed her forehead, before succumbing to the world of dreams.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

Then next day was slow, uneventful, and surprisingly rumor less. Cammie seemed a bit suspicious of me, but did a very good job of hiding it from her friends. I passed back their tests and papers. She smiled.

"You all did very well, as usual. One common mistake was the last question." They all read it. "The theory never stated that weapons were a last resort." And, queue collective groan. I bit back a laugh. "That's the Joe Solomon Theory of Espionage, not anyone else's theory's, ladies." The bell rang. Finally. Dinner.

"Class dismissed." I tossed down my pen, and leaned against the wall.

"Have a good weekend, Mr. Solomon."

"Have a good weekend, Ms. Walters." A few others waved as they walked by. I went to visit Lily, before entering the Grand Hall. I went in, and sat next to Rachel. Something told me it was a really good spot to sit in today. Odd….

***New***POV***

It's killing me, really. How I just watched all three of them go into the Grand Hall, Joe the last one in, and I couldn't say a word. I was waiting for the right moment, the big reveal, as an old friend once said. I stood, waiting for the chatter to die very slightly, and the eating to begin. Then it would be a complete surprise. I could hear it easily. There were several Langley agents waiting with me, questioning Joe on his knowledge.

One agent nodded. "Now."

I opened the door…

~_Back~_To~_Joe~_

I was telling Harvey something, when the door to the Grand Hall opened. Okay, that was pretty unusual, because everyone got there all at the same time. The doors opened, and a tall, slender man with light brown hair, brown eyes, and a slight limp walks in. The silence becomes deafening.

My heart stopped, my breathing became rather difficult. My jaw dropped.

What?

When…how? Cammie had froze. Rachel was unmoving beside me. He looked at me.

"What, can't recognize your own best friend?" I stood slowly at first, trying to remain calm. Then, he looked at Rachel, who was still in shock. Cammie was unmoving. I put one hand on the table, and hopped over the table as if it were a fence I'd hopped as a teenager. I slowly approached him, stopping a foot away.

"You know, Dave, it's about time you showed up here." I said. We stopped, he grinned, and pulled me into an embrace. He let me go, and turned to Cammie, who had stood behind me.

"Wow… is that my girl?" She blushed slightly. Rachel was slowly making her way around the table. Cammie threw herself at Dave, who caught her. Rachel was running now, and into Dave's empty arm. Bex, Lizzie, and Macey all stood and began to clap. I joined in. Soon, the rest of the cafeteria was giving him a standing ovation.

"Welcome home, Mr. Morgan." Several said, shaking his hand, and greeting him warmly. Rachel was in tears. Cammie was still in shock.

Now, I know what you're thinking. What if he's an imposter? An imposter would know his mannerisms, his voice, and his looks. They'd find a way to look exactly like him. They made sure of it.

Only a best friend would turn to you, look you dead in the eye, and say, "So, about that arm wrestling rematch you still owe me." It had been ten years sense that first arm wrestling match.

Only my best friend would still remember that.


	7. Chapter 7

Life at Gallagher was a lot better when you had your best friend back.

For example, he came to speak in my classes. He helped me out on pop quizzes, and he was a lot better work out partner than Doctor Fibs could be at times. Don't get me wrong, I respect that man with as much authority and everything else I possibly could, but his eccentric tendencies were a whole lot worse than my Lily's could be.

That's another awesome thing. He loved my wife. I mean, like sisterly. Literally, he met her, and was like "So Life at Gallagher was a lot better when you had your best friend back.

For example, he came to speak in my classes. He helped me out on pop quizzes, and he was a lot better work out partner than Doctor Fibs could be at times. Don't get me wrong, I respect that man with as much authority and everything else I possibly could, but his eccentric tendencies were a whole lot worse than my Lily's could be.

That's another awesome thing. He loved my wife. I mean, like sisterly. Literally, he met her, and was like "So _you're _woman keeping this man in line, eh?" And I blushed, he laughed, I flipped him off, Lily looked mortified, and we bickered endlessly in Farsi with Lily looking so adorable in her confused state. I invited him and Rachel over for dinner. Cammie was coming. It was time to introduce my wife to my Goddaughter…without her tailing the girl (I was still amazed my klutzy, sweet, gullible Lily could be good at tailing a Gallagher girl.).

"Come on in, Rachel, Cammie, Dave." They came in, and sat in the family room. Dave took in a deep breath through his nose.

"Smells good, Joe, what's cooking?"

"You'll see, Dave." I said easily, sitting in Lily's favorite recliner, without reclining it. "How've you been?"

"Great. Sense I've been getting decent food into me regularly… although, not Rachel's disastrous attempt at cooking." We laughed as she slapped him. "And I've got my girls back." Cammie smiled at him. He smiled back affectionately. "I have to say, though, man, thank you, for being there for my family."

"Don't worry about it, Dave; they're just as important to me as they are to you." I said, crossing my legs, steepling my fingers together. He smiled, and took Rachel's hand. Lily came from the small office I'd created for her, rotating her cracking wrists, cracking her knuckles, and rubbing her eyes, sore from staring at the keyboard and bright computer screen.

"You get any writing done today?" I asked. She nodded.

"Lots. I was typing what I already have." She said. She sported an old Blackthorne t-shirt of mine, skinny jeans, and fuzzy socks hidden by a pair of moccasins I'd bought her last Christmas. Her hair was in its usual ponytail, and her glasses hung from the shirt. "Why are you wearing my t-shirt?" She blushed slightly and laughed.

"Because I was trying to get dressed in the dark Mr. 'I decided to sleep in till nine when Lily couldn't sleep.'" Dave burst out laughing. I blushed.

"Sorry, I had a headache, remember." She laughed.

"I was teasing, Joey." She said, kissing me on the cheek. I went red when I saw the gears in Cammie's mind turning.

"You aren't just friends."

"No." I said. "Unless you share a bed with Zach every night, Cammie, no." She went dark red. Dave looked interested.

"Who?"

"Zachary Goode." I said. The name clicked immediately. "Cammie's become highly acquainted with him." I teased. She blushed darker.

"Joe!" Rachel said. "Zach is a sweet boy, even if he comes from your school full of macho idiots." I laughed, unphased by her question. Lily perched on the arm of my chair, and laughed too.

"Aren't _all_ all-boys schools like that?" She asked. Rachel and Cammie burst out laughing at the look on my face. She laughed. "Oh, don't look at me like that, Joseph Solomon! When I met you, you were all 'Yeah, I'm benchin' like three fifty-five.'" I felt my face grow suddenly very warm, when Zach saved me by knocking. _Saved by the…Zach._ I let him in.

"They're mocking our school Zach." He looked outraged. Lily shook her head earnestly.

"Nuh uh, Joe, I mocked all-boys school's in general, not your school." She retaliated, sounding adorably like a little kid. _This is why I can't stay away for so long, I start getting all cute and junk._ I was driving myself nuts with it, I got to tell you. Cammie laughed. Zach sat on the arm of the chair next to her, leaned in, and kissed her forehead. Dave bristled slightly. I smirked. Lily slid unceremoniously into my lap.

"Well, hello to you too." I said sarcastically. She laughed, and leaned her head back.

"When were you gonna actually tell me you're hitched, Joe" Zach asked. "Other than the other day in your classroom."

"Um… never, if I thought we'd get away with it." I said. Lily knew the dangers of me having a weakness, so it wasn't horrible.

"Where did you guys even…meet?"

"Places, next question." I said. Lily burst out laughing, laying across my lap now. I smirked.

"Glad I amuse you, love." I muttered. She grinned back up at me. "When did you need me to take you to the orthodontist?" She thought for a moment.

"Two weeks from now, actually." She said. "I think. I'll get back to you on that." I laughed. Only my Lily…

"You are like…opposites." Zach said, never afraid to voice what he's thinking.

"So are you and…her." He knew it wasn't Cammie I meant, either.

"That's different, I'm not a psychopath."

"Actually, she's a high-functioning sociopath, do the research." I countered.

"He's not Sherlock Holmes." Lily piped up. I bit back the urge to roll my eyes.

"No, no she isn't." I said. "A female can't be a male person, dear." She rolled her eyes.

"_Not_ what I meant, Joe." She rolled sideways off my lap, and onto her feet. I stood when the buzzer went off.

"Dinner's ready." I said, getting up to serve the chicken. Lily joined me, and helped get plates. Being just under 5'3'', she struggled to reach the plates a little. I smirked, went up behind her, and, before she grabbed the plates, I grabbed her rather ticklish waist. She squealed slightly, and flinched back. I laughed. She slapped me. I slapped her back, before ducking to barely miss her hit. Picking up a move she'd learned long ago in karate, she gave an upper cut jab, nailing me lightly in the chest, instead of the chin. I laughed, and pinned her with my body to the counter. She giggled.

"Wanna try that again, little lady?" I growled quietly in her ear. She shuddered when I spoke. Good, I was not only pinning her to the counter, but I was turning her on. Big time.

"N-no." She stammered. I chuckled, and let her go. I kissed the back of her head.

"Then behave, or I'll be punishing you tonight." I growled, my voice going deeper, and making her shiver a little again. I liked the effect I had on her sometimes. It was gratifying. Other times, it downright scared me that she had just as much control over me, whether it was sexual or not. Her face was flushed slightly, and she seemed flustered. Oops, I think I overdid it this time. I took the plates from her unsteady hands, and gently kissed her forehead reassuringly. Leaning close to her ear, I dropped my voice in a whisper to tell her, "Go in the bathroom, love, and splash your face with cold water. It'll wake you up a bit." She nodded, and went into the bathroom. I smirked and set the table.

"She okay?" Dave asked. "She seemed flustered." I nodded.

"She's a bit… I don't know exactly." LIES.

"What's that thing on her wrist?"

"It stops her morning sickness." I said easily. Lily hadn't been told that Zach, Rachel, and now Dave knew. I mean, her best friend Chrys knew, why couldn't my three best friends know?

"She's pregnant?"

"Five months and counting." I said, sounding downright terrified. "We better get the Circle taken down before that kid is born; you know what they do to recruits kids. And if they figure out Lily is a civilian?" I said in a hushed, urgent whisper.

"She's a…. and she knows you're a…" I nodded. She really wasn't supposed to know, but when you're married, the whole "business trip" lie doesn't work when you keep coming back covered in scrapes, cuts, bruises and thirty pounds lighter than before. I smiled warmly when Cammie looked unsure. Zach pulled out her chair. _Someone finally got a few of Madame Dabney's lessons through his head._ She blushed a light pink color. When Lily turned that color, it drove me crazy. I need a hobby; I'd stop thinking about Lily so much. Zach sat next to her. Dave sat directly across from them. Rachel sat next to them. Lily and I sat at the ends of the table, across from one another. I smiled at her. We started to eat, quietly at first. Dave turned towards Zach, protectively. Cammie looked mortified.

"So, Zach." Dave began. "What are you doing here?' He looked Dave in the eye.

"Hiding from my school. Next question." He hung around me a bit too much. Lily rolled her eyes, following the same train of thought. She caught Cammie's look of mortification. She struck up polite conversation about something too girly for my liking. I turned to Rachel.

"So…" She laughed. Dave was staring Zach down.

"Dave, would it help if I told you the boy's like my own son?" He looked terrified.

"No, it wouldn't!" Good point, I wasn't exactly an angel at his age.

"Okay, good point." I said. "Would it be better if I said he's…?" I stopped, and switched to abrupt Arabian. "On our side." He relaxed considerably, then smiled.

"Welcome to the club, kid." He bit into his roll. I rolled my eyes. Rachel laughed. Cammie looked relieved. Lily smiled shyly at me across the table. Her face read it all; the water hadn't really helped much. Maybe I seriously overdid it. Stupid married hormones and your stupid overreacting to the word "pregnant." I winced apologetically at her. She smiled understandingly, and shifted slightly, before pushing up her glasses. With a certain look in her eyes, she put a spoonful of mashed potatoes, and slowly put it in her mouth. That was torture, but then she slowly pulled it out, and licked it clean. I wanted to die right then. God, she was so…

"Joe?" I looked at Rachel, and realized everyone else was staring at me. "You feeling all right, you're face just got really red there for a second." I coughed, and nodded.

"Oh, sure, just a little warm in here." I winced when my voice cracked. "Sorry, I just…" I picked up my glass of water. Dave glanced at Lily, who had her head down at her plate, her shoulders barely shaking with the built up laughter she was struggling to hold back. He laughed, and then turned to me, shaking his head knowingly. Oh, geeze….

Zach looked a bit…uncomfortable, and Cammie was currently oblivious (or at least, pretending) by eating with a bit more concentration than one normally does.

"She okay?" I murmured to Rachel, when Zach asked Lily about what she did for a living.

"Yeah, she's been a bit under the weather."

"I would be worse off, eating your cooking for four years." She slapped my arm. I laughed. "I'm kidding, Rache, I've survived your cooking."

"Enough with making fun of me, Joe." I laughed, and glanced back at Lily. She was talking to Zach, but when she made eye contact, I caught the wink she shot at me.

This was going to be a long visit from my friends….

A very long visit…


	8. Chapter 8

"This is where the kids go? Not too bad." Dave said, pushing up his sunglasses and stretching his legs out ahead of him. I nodded, looking at a few of my students from behind my own shades, although this time they weren't computerized. Lily was at the drug store and later heading to the computer store for printer paper and ink. She had a deadline to meet for herself, getting some cover letter out or something. I let her take care of the writing stuff herself, and had decided to leave her too it. Sense she'd been on some kind of ADD medication **(A/N I only wrote that because my mom thinks I'm ADD, and Lily's based off me)**; she'd had motivation more than a mother whose child was in danger. Later, we were supposed to find a place nearby, where I could see her and the baby during the school year, if Rachel didn't want us to move it into the castle with us. Also, then I didn't have to fly here every year.

"Where's the wife?" I asked him.

"I could ask the same too you." He muttered.

"Shopping, I asked first, Dave." I retorted.

"Touché, my friend." He said. "Shopping. She needed some stuff, evidently. And I needed my inhaler refilled."

"It's a miracle that you didn't need it for almost four years, but you're back two weeks, and you suddenly need it."

"Ah, here's the thing; they kept me breathing." He said. "But they did worse." I shuddered.

"Right." Didn't really want to know exactly what. I guess he figured that, and dropped it. Lily came out of the drug store, panting. I was up in a flash and approaching her. She was wheezing something fierce.

"You all right?" I asked. She nodded, tearing open a paper bag, and pulling out a shiny new inhaler. I took it from her unsteady hands, and shook it vigorously, before handing it back. She pulled it open, and inhaled from it. Twice. "Better?" She nodded. Several of my students looked confused.

"Thank you, sir, I needed the help." I nodded.

"Any time, ma'm." I said, removing my sunglasses. "It's no problem to help out someone in need." She winked and walked away. I put on my sunglasses, and made it look like I was looking off to her left at someone, but was staring at her figure, watching it walk into the library. Zach approached us easily. He stretched, and Cammie pushed him down. I laughed.

"Nice. A girl kicked your butt." I muttered. He glared at me. I held out a hand. He reached for it. As he did, he slipped a folded piece of paper into my hand. Wow, impressive brush pass. I slipped my hands into my pockets once he was on his feet.

"Come on, Joe, let's go for those burger's Rachel claims are so amazing." I nodded, and allowed him to lead me away. I opened the paper once inside the restaurant.

_I've got info; let me know when you can meet._

I put the paper back into my pocket, and decided I'd eat it later. It may look a tad awkward watching a forty something stuff green paper in his mouth in public, and then make a disgusted face.

Later than night, I sat in my office, wanting to get this over with, so I could gently break the news to Lily that I would _not_ be home for Christmas, when I would most likely be in Istanbul. Zach sat down, followed closely by Dave.

"Look, Zach, make it quick, I want to break it to Lily sooner rather than later." I said. He nodded.

"Listen, and listen good, Solomon. Mom wants me at headquarters for Christmas. I told her I trusted nobody but you on my guard. She agreed, and you're in. I asked Mrs. Morgan to call in a few more recruits. She has a few connections over at MI5, and MI6 offered to help."

"The Baxter's?" I asked. He nodded. Dave was listening intently.

"She's insistent on making sure we find Mr. Morgan here. I've got Jonas, Jared, and Alex planting false information to her higher ranking members." Zach pushed his hair from his face. "You'll meet with the agents from MI5 on landing in Istanbul, and later meet me in headquarters. Mom's spies have been told to lay off you; they don't realize whose side you're really on." Excellent. I shifted in my seat comfortably.

"All right. Who are these agents?" I asked.

"I don't know, to be honest. The Headmistress wouldn't tell me." Zach admitted.

"I know them. And I'll tell you, because this plan concerns you." Dave said. "Remember that Remus kid who became MI5's youngest agent?" I nodded. "Him, his best friend, his dad his dad's personal secretary/hacker, and a few others are all working for MI5, and they've got a few connections with MI6. They'll be teaming up with us and the Baxter's."

"We've got a good team, then?"

"No, an excellent one. I've worked by Remus. He's a beyond brilliant spy. A bit of a nerd at times, but I mean, I've seen worse."

"I'm married to a big nerd, Dave. What about the friend, the dad?"

"Seth is the friend; he's ever bit as good. The dad isn't really on the field anymore, but he'll be back here, feeding us information. That's where Jedidiah comes in. The secretary/hacker? He's going to work into the firewalls there. Before I escaped, I got quite a bit of information from those who are trying to take the Circle down."

"Anyone from the CIA?"

"We're running this solo, like old times." He said. I nodded. I stood.

"Now, I've got to talk with my wife." I said.

"About what?" She was in the doorway, looking a bit suspicious.

"Were you eavesdropping?"

"Actually, no, I only got here right when you said 'I have to talk with my wife.'" She countered. "That's what peaked my interest." Zach looked weary to believe her.

"Guys she's a horrible liar, it's fine." I said, sitting down. "Come here, honey, we've got a lot to discuss."

_~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"What is she going to do without you?" Dave asked. I shook my head.

"At least she didn't yell at me, the first time I missed Christmas, she cussed me out like there was no tomorrow." I said. He whistled.

"I didn't think she'd be the type to have a mouth."

"Believe me, neither did I."

"How did she take it?" Rachel asked.

"She went sort of still, and then left randomly. Next thing I knew, I was coming home to my sobbing wife." I said. "I hate it when she does that. I mean, sure, it's one thing to make her cry because you were doing something nice, but with the possibility you could die?" She nodded.

"No, I get that. She knows I'm not going, right?" I nodded.

"Hopefully, that'll help." I said, scratching my arm. Dave and I got up. He seemed…off.

"What?" I asked him, as we walked away.

"Look, could you talk to Cammie for me?" I was surprised by his request. "I don't know about that Zach kid…"

"Look, he's a good kid, nothing like his mother." I said. "Trust me-"

"Come on, Joe, you know how I've been about my girls, particularly my baby girl!" He said. "Please?" I sighed, and ran my fingers through my hair.

"All right, man. I'll talk to her." He looked positively relieved.

"Thanks." I nodded. Cammie was walking by, alone. I wondered where Zach was.

"Ms. Morgan." I said, leaning against the wall coolly. She turned to look at me. "Where are you headed this evening?" She looked at me.

"The spot." She said. I knew exactly where she mean. "Wanna come?" I nodded, and matched her pace. We chatted lightly through the halls, laughing and reminiscing. Once we got to the top of the P & E Barn, I sat on the floor. Cammie sat opposite me.

"Look, your father wants me to warn you about Zach." I said. She rolled her eyes. I laughed.

"Why?"

"Because he's your father. It's his job to worry about you when you have a boyfriend." I said. She laughed.

"Look, Mr. Solomon, don't worry. Zach isn't like that."

"I know that, more than most." I said. "Actually, more than anyone who's ever met him, except possibly you." I said. "Cammie, I see the way Zach looks at you." She blushed.

"Someone takes notice things too far…" She muttered. I bit back the urge to laugh, instead, choosing to pretend I didn't hear that.

"I look at Lily the same way. At least, I'd like to think that I do." I said. She shifted in her seat, nodding. "Cammie, I see you as like… I don't know, a little sister or something." I said.

"You didn't have siblings?"

"After me? I wouldn't know, I was ten when I ran." She looked surprised, but at the bitter tone I spoke in, she didn't pry. "And, Cammie, I know how Zach works. If he hurts you, it probably won't be intentional, but be warned; he's a Blackthorne boy, he's not like regular boys, nor normal spy boys."

"Spy boys differ from Blackthorne boys?" I sighed and nodded.

"Spies are trained to save lives, Cam." I said, not totally sure Dave would approve of me telling her this. "Blackthorne boys are trained to take them." She froze.

"You're a killer." I winced.

"Not exactly. I used the skills I learned at Blackthorne to be one of the top ranking at the CIA." I said. "I caught Zach in time, that he could be the same." Cammie looked uneasy. Something clicked then. "How in the name of my left shoe did you know that I'm a Blackthorne graduate?"

"The name of your left shoe?" She asked. I sighed.

"Lily…" I said. She giggled. "How?"

"All right. The next time you're in Mom's office, slid your fingers around under her desk. She's got a picture of you and Dad when you were a lot younger. You had a Blackthorne t-shirt on…"

"So _that's_ how you figured it out?" I asked, sounding half impressed, half surprised. She nodded.

"Mum's the word, Mr. Solomon." She said. I laughed. I stood, helping Cammie to her feet. She wrapped her arms around my waist. It took me a moment, but I recognized it as a hug. _That's odd, the only people to really hug me is Rachel and Lily, and even then, it's usually only Lily._

"Come on, kid." I said, rubbing her back a little with one hand. "Let's get back to the school." She nodded. "And, please, be a little more discreet about kissing Zach when your father's around. I don't want the next talk we have outside of class to be the sex talk." I said. She laughed, and I grinned. Together we walked away.

_Oh, Dave. What I wouldn't do for you…_


	9. Chapter 9

"The object of this mission is to complete every pass you know." I said, staring at every one of my students. Dave drove this time, as Harvey kept him company in the passenger seat. "Whether it's the infamous drop pass, the brush pass, you name it, I want you to do it. And it starts with these flyers." I handed them a stack of flyers from the code red mode. They advertised the school elections. I handed them each ten, and opened the door to the van. We were at a football game, a spy's worst nightmare. "Good luck." I leapt out, and walked away, followed closely by Dave and Harvey.

"What are we going to do?" Dave asked. I sat near the top, in an area that allowed total visibility and was less populated.

"We watch."

"The game?" Harvey asked, surprised. "But, Joe your students are out there!" He sounded appalled.

"No, Harvey, our students." I said gently. His expression read "oh…." Dave lightly punched him in the shoulder. He smiled. My eyes scanned the crowd, watching for girls. Two were exchanging flyers, the good old fashioned way. Nice. Cammie had dropped a folded one in Bex's lap, then another one in Zach's, and still a third one in a bag laying open at Anna's feet.

"Ladies, change it up. You must plant five flyers on people you don't know, or who may not be suspecting it." I said into my comms unit.

"That should challenge them." Dave muttered behind me. Lily sat down.

"What did I miss?" She wouldn't quite meet my eyes.

"Nothing much." I said, leaning back. "We're up by a touchdown." She nodded, looking at the field. I looked at her for a moment, almost hurt that she wouldn't look at me. Then, I felt eyes staring at me. Anna, Tina, and Mick looked up at us, then at each other in surprise. Suddenly, Cammie was walking away from us. Weird…

Dave was laughing. "Nice, kid." I looked at him, then back towards where the girls were. Cammie said something to them. They giggled, and looked at us. Lily started to read a book. I pretended to adjust my jacket, instead, turning off my comms unit.

"Honey, why are you here, if you're mad at me?" I asked.

"I'm not mad."

"Why don't you go find Rachel back at the school, Lily?" Dave said. "She's been looking for a girl to talk to."

"What, you guys don't want me ruining your 'guys night' or something?" She asked coldly. Oh, boy.

"No, that's not it." Dave said gently. "She was actually telling me the other night she misses having a girl around to talk to, one closer to her own age, rather than Cam or the older teachers."

"Besides, Lily. Harvey and I are holding a pop quiz." I said. She left, tears in her eyes. "Oh, great, now she's mad at me."

"No, she's not." Harvey said. "She's just not in a good mood." Geeze. I turned on my comms unit, and watched the game, making sure to keep an eye on my class. They were somehow or another all winding up in our area, without me noticing. Weird…

Later that evening, when they were all congregating at the end of the bleachers, and Cammie had successfully avoided Josh Abrams and his girlfriend, I gathered them into the van and we drove off. They were all quiet. I was a bit confused.

"Ladies, is something the matter?" I asked. "You're awfully…silent." Dave chuckled from the passenger seat.

"Harvey was just saying the same thing." He said. Cammie and Zach smirked at each other mischievously.

"All right, Mr. Goode, I know the Blackthorne grin when I see one, what did you guys do?" Dave said.

"You went to Blackthorne?" Bex asked.

"No, I grew up as a farm boy." He said, emphasizing his usually faint Southern accent. "I spoke on occasion at Blackthorne." I nodded. I'd been subject to quite a few of those guest lectures.

"He did, and I got stuck listening to him rehearse at the mirror for days."

"What changed that?" Cammie asked. I looked at her.

"He got married." Dave chuckled.

"Or, as my dad always said 'got hitched.'" I rolled my eyes. Cammie yawned, and then Zach yawned.

"Stop it, I can't stop yawning now." He said. Cammie giggled. Bex rolled her eyes, sitting on the floor next to him. I heard something light hit the floor next to me. I looked down.

"What the…?" I stuck my hand in my pocket, and felt folded sheets of paper. I found a whole bunch more in my other jacket pocket. I turned to them. "When I said plant them on someone, I didn't mean me, ladies." They all burst out laughing. Zach and Bex high fived.

"That was mine and Cammie's idea." Bex admitted. "We passed it around."

"We'll try this again. This time, it's going to get a whole lot harder." I said.

"It was so worth it." Zach said.

"And you can write me an essay, Mr. Goode."

"On what, why I shouldn't fool my teacher? Come on, Joe, it was classic." I refrained from rolling my eyes. Dave laughed.

"What's going on?"

"They planted their flyers on Joe." Dave told Harvey, who laughed.

"Nice job, girls, I haven't been able to do that, and I've known the man twenty odd years." Dave said.

"Thank you, David, for making me feel incredibly old." I retorted. The girls giggled.

"You aren't as old as him." Cammie said slyly.

"Well, then." Dave said. She laughed. My pocket vibrated. I answered the phone.

"Solomon."

"No, it's Morgan." I rolled my eyes.

"What?" I asked. She laughed.

"What's up with…her?" I stopped.

"What are you talking about?" Fear coursed through me, but I took one deep, steadying breath to calm myself.

"She came into the school crying her eyes out. I don't really know what happened, but she's kind of scaring me."

"Keep an eye on the Subject, Rachel, I'm almost there." I said, hanging up. Dave looked concerned. I looked up at him. One look told me he understood exactly who I meant.

"The Subject?" Zach asked.

"Mission's gone awry." I muttered, punching in the number I knew by heart, and waited….and waited….

No answer. I swore in twenty different languages in my head. We pulled in, and I all but ran towards the Sublevels, and into my quarters. Lily was crying on Rachel. I went over to them, and pulled Lily into my arms. She pulled away.

"Just leave me alone." She said.

"Lily, what did I-" She stormed off angrily. Rachel looked annoyed.

"When were you going to tell me you're leaving for Christmas break?" She asked.

"As soon as I could. That's what this is about?" I went to our bedroom door. "Sweetheart, let me talk to you…" Silence. "All right, let me talk to you when you're ready, all right?" Silence. This was going to kill me in the morning. I hated it when she got mad at me. I sighed.

"I'll sleep on the couch tonight, give her a bit of space. And tell the students that it was a false alarm. They think I'm being paged for a mission." She nodded. I went towards our linen closet, pulled out a spare pillow, an old blanket, and sheets. I made a bed on the couch, and said goodnight to Rachel.

Sleep didn't come easy, and when it did, it was filled with nightmares about Lily and our unborn child being killed in a multitude of different ways.

The next morning, I woke up, stiff, grouchy, and with a headache. Lily came into the family room. I nearly stopped breathing.

Her face was red, and tearstained. Her hair was a mess, like she tried to sleep, but couldn't. With a jolt, I'd realized she'd been up all night, crying. Oh, crap.

Luckily, the next day was Saturday, where we could talk it out.

Classes went by uneventful as usual, and I made it back to my quarters to be with Lily. I found the place empty, until I heard the keyboard being pecked at furiously. I knew speaking was never a strong point for my love, but writing always made the difference. She lacked an ability to make sentences that actually came out and made sense whilst speaking, but writing came to her as naturally as breathing did. I pulled out my laptop, sat down, and got to work. I wrote her an email, and, while speaking my emotions was never a strong point ( I mean, I'm a man, and we're never good at that), writing was twice as difficult. Because, well, I never knew where to start. Finally, after two hours, I had a piece that seemed like it made sense, and would appeal to her.

_My Dearest Lily,_

_I have no idea why you're mad at me, and at this point, I don't care why. All I know is that you are mad, and I want to fix it. This isn't going to be easy, as you know, so please be nice about your replies._

_ First off, I would like to apologize for whatever made you angry. I'm sorry I hurt you. But, you'll have to bear with me. I'm a busy man, and adding us to the equation makes life a bit busier. Better, by far, my sweet, but busier. I apologize if I did anything to make you spend the night sobbing._

_ Second, I want you to know that I didn't mean to hurt you in any way by sleeping on the couch last night. I wanted you to have the time to clear your head, to keep the distance, while at the same time, making sure you had a comfortable place to sleep on. I'd willingly do it for you, if it means I get my Lily back._

_ Third, please forgive me for leaving for Christmas. I never said we wouldn't celebrate Christmas together, though, my love. We can do that early, right? You've always loved Christmas. I'd give anything to see that adorably freckled face of yours light up with the idea of an early Christmas._

_ Last, please, come talk to me. When you're ready, but tell me what's wrong, so I can make it wrong. You are special to me, my beautiful wife, so please tell me what it is that makes you so heartbroken, and I will mend it back, kiss by kiss, hug by hug, hand holding, touching your cheek, wiping away those tears…sex? Whatever you want, my love._

_ Thank you, my dearest, for listening._

_ Love you forever,_

_ Joe_

Now, I had a wait ahead of me. A long wait.

She stumbled tiredly from her office, rubbing her eyes sleepily, and yawning.

"Lily?" I asked gently. She looked at me. "Come here for a second." She sat next to me, but stayed silent. I pulled her into my arms. "What's bothering you?" She snuggled deeper into my arms.

"Everything." She whispered sadly. "I was really sad that you wouldn't be around for Christmas. We weren't together last Christmas."

"I know, and I'm genuinely sorry for that. Look, I'll make it up to you." I said, pulling her away from me. "Dave, Rachel, you and I will celebrate Christmas before Dave and I have to leave." She nodded.

"Okay." She wiped away a few stray tears. I kissed her forehead tenderly. My legs started to vibrate. Lily laughed.

"Sorry, my phone." She was perched slightly and awkwardly on my lap. I grinned when she answered the phone. "Hello?" Her face lit up slightly. "Oh, hey Alice! Long time no see!" Silence for a moment, then she looked mortified. "Visit? Uh, well…." She looked panicked. "My husband teaches at a boarding school that's super strict about visitors." She made a good cover pretty quickly. "Well, I could always talk to the Headmistress. She's married to Joe's best friend, I'm sure we could work _something_ out." She was quiet again. I mouthed "After Christmas" at her. She nodded.

"An excellent time would be after Christmas. We've got a really tight schedule until then, with midterms and such." Lily laced her fingers through mine in a complex manner. "All right, sounds perfect. Then it works around our schedules, right?" Lily smiled. "Love you, sis. Bye!" She hung up. "She wasn't available till like January anyway."

"Perfect. Can you believe it's already November?" I asked, kissing her jaw.

"Yeah. Hey, sweetie, can we go over where the baby will sleep?" I nodded, and pulled my leg from under her butt, then stood, helping her to her feet. Hand in hand, we went down the hall, and into a small room.

"Here." I opened an old room, dusty from lack of use, but otherwise good. A few repairs should do the trick.

"It's perfect. A nice closet, we can add a few shelves." Lily looked hopeful.

"What color?"

"How about blue?" Lily asked. "That way it's a neutral color, and we don't have to worry about repainting." I nodded.

"Or yellow, but that might get a little bright."

"Orange." I laughed.

"Black is a very good color." She laughed.

"So is green. Most of the colors are pretty gender neutral, accept pink, really. I don't know why, but…" I smiled and laughed.

"I've got tomorrow with you, babe, I'll help clean this place up. Maybe I can get Dave to help us out." I said. "As long as you promise to behave with spoons and other eating utensils." She blushed violently and giggled embarrassedly. "Which I never got my revenge on you for, by the way." She laughed again, burying her face into my chest, her neck and ears going red now. Why she was so embarrassed about sex with me, I'd never understand. For crying out loud, it's not like she had been a sleep around-er. And, besides, we were married. I guess it was part of her introverted, shy tendencies.

At least she was cute…

I really have to stop that.

I went up to Rachel's office to make sure it would be okay for my sister-in-law to arrange a visit. She nodded.

"The Circle should be taken down, if we've got our information right." Zach said. "But, because I'm Mom's only trusted agent… I'm pretty positive it is."

"How can she tell you aren't lying?" I asked.

"Easy, she's a terrible lie detector. Plus, she puts too much confidence in me." He said.

"I'll be heading out to Langley to let them know three things One: I'm alive, B: We've taken a jump on an opportunity to take the Circle down, and could really use backup, because we've got an irresistible inside source Tres: That's three in Spanish." We laughed.

"Nice, Dave." I said. He laughed.

"Sorry, you all looked so serious, we needed a laugh." He was right. We did.

The next month flew by in a blur, repairing the old room in our quarters, planning a quiet, early Christmas celebration, and adjusting the kinks in our plans. Zach was to fly out as soon as midterms were over. I would be joining him as his "security detail" and later, we'd take down the Circle. I just hoped it was right.

Dave handed me a t-shirt reading "I'm going to be a Daddy." We decided, once it was safe, the student body, sworn under major secrecy, would be informed of my child. After all, I would be going on a three week maternity leave with Lily. Disappearing and not showing up in the doctor's office would rise a bit of suspicion. After our Christmas, Dave flew out to visit his parents, and surprise them, admitting that his "Disappearance" was a kidnapping. They would never know he was kidnapped by spies. They still thought he was an ambassador to the Secretary Of State.

"This is finally the chance you will all get to remake up that pop quiz you ladies did back in October." I said. "And, this time, don't plant anything on me." They giggled. "Civilians are easy, ladies." I said. "But there comes a time when you have to try to work your way around equally trained operatives."

"So, who are we planting these on?" Bex asked, already folding her papers.

"The student body." I said, opening the doors to the classroom. Dinner is in an hour, right? Well, there's your chance." I held the door open, and waited for them to leave. After that, I closed the door. Zach was back within half an hour.

"Done, planted them on teachers and Cammie and her friends." I rolled my eyes.

"All right. You ready?" He nodded. "Let's go, kid. We'll take care of this thing before long." He nodded. We went into my quarters, so I could visit Lily for a few minutes, before heading towards the Grand Hall. I sat in my seat, and kept an eye on my girls.

Cammie had planted a flyer in Harvey's pocket as he walked by. Nice. Bex seemed to be missing. Suddenly, she was sitting next to some senior, talking animatedly. Her open backpack now had a flyer in it. Mick planted one on an eighth graders lap. Cammie slipped one in Dave's pocket when he hugged her goodbye. He pulled it out and tossed it on the table in front of her, winking at her. She slipped it in his back pocket. He didn't notice that time. Cammie sat back down, and joined her friends. I smirked.

"Harvey told me about the prank the girls played on you the other night." Rachel said to me. I looked at her, grinning. "They love you, you know that, right? They're always talking about their favorite teacher." I blushed.

"Yeah, well, I didn't appreciate the joke… _she_ laughed at me for hours on end." Rachel laughed.

"She loves you too."

"Well, I know that."

"Oh do you know?"

"She tolerates me, doesn't she?" I asked. Rachel laughed.

"That may be so, Joe, but honey she's head over heels in love with you."

"More like 'heels over head' in her case." I said. Rachel laughed. "I swear, Rache, the girl's clumsier than a newborn horse." She laughed.

"Nice analogy."

"Hey, your husband grew up on a farm."

"I'm pretty sure it was devoid of horses."

"Does it matter, it's a farm analogy. That was the point." She laughed.

"Oh, right, okay." She teased. I mock glared at her. She laughed.

"Why is it that you spies like eating paper?" Lily asked when she came into a room, and I was shoving Evapopaper in my mouth for the fourth time that day. "First, the note from Rachel, now the four times today."

"Today, these are full of secrets. The last time was evidence that I have a weakness." I rarely admitted out loud my soft spot for her. I admitted that I loved her, but a tender side was a rarity with me.

"What did that note say?" She asked. "I've been curious about it for a while." I drank from my water glass, riding my mouth of the horrible aftertaste of the paper.

"It said 'Joe, I know that's most likely Lily sitting next to you. How? You seem happy. Congrats, you've got her back. You are too cute when you're lovesick. Love, Rachel.'" Lily blushed and giggled.

"Do I really make you change that noticeably?"

"Sweetheart, when I took you to bed that night, the whole school knew it when I was at breakfast that morning."

"So, I changed your entire demeanor with sex?" She asked, laughing. "How?"

"Less stress, for one." I said. "And I was happier and more relaxed, knowing you were safe." She kissed my cheek.

"Something I'll be feeling when I've got you back here." Her belly was a bit more swollen now. She was six months into her pregnancy, and would be eight months in when I got back. I kissed her forehead. I ran my fingers gently down her spine.

"Love you." She whispered, resting her cheek against my shoulder.

"Love you too." I returned, leaning in to press my lips to the exposed flesh of her freckled chest. She snuggled in deeper. Within moments, she was fast asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

"Do me a favor." Dave said, before hanging up the phone. "Keep an eye on Zach and Cammie." I rolled my eyes.

"What I wouldn't do for you, Dave." I retorted. "You're my best friend." He sighed.

"So, if I gave you an insane topic to discuss with her, one she would never listen to me about? You'd do it?"

"Sure, if it meant keeping her from harm's way." I said.

"Well…" He began. _What was I getting myself into?_

~_~_~_ Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Mr. Solomon?" I stood, my back facing Cammie, and looking across the cold grounds, covered with an early December snow.

"Cammie, hello." I said, not bothering to turn around. "What are you doing out here?"

"Came to think." She said, sitting down. "Just…" I turned to face her.

"What is it?"

"You've had a girlfriend, right?"

"Cammie, I'm married. It wasn't an arranged marriage." I said, teasingly. She laughed.

"No, I meant at my age." I thought of how to word it.

"You aren't sure where you stand?"

"Exactly." She said. "How do you know?"

"Well, what's the situation?" I asked. "Is it the entire relationship in general, or is it a specific situation?" She looked up at me.

"The entire relationship." I sighed.

"Can I give you help, with one specific situation. One that may help with where you stand?" She nodded. "Zach is a teenage boy, Cam. You know that." She nodded suspiciously. "Well, here's the thing. He's going to ask you for the one thing all teenagers seem to think about." She groaned.

"Please tell me you aren't giving me the _sex talk_." She begged. "Let me guess, Daddy talked you into it." I winced, then nodded.

"It'll help, Cam, I swear." I said. She groaned, but listened. "He's going to try and pressure you into it, Cam. He's a horny teenage boy who was stuck in a male only school all year. As far as I know, you're the only girl he's ever really fallen for." She blushed. I sat down, getting a bit more comfortable. "And he's going to try everything he can. If you aren't ready, he'll be willing to wait. He might be frustrated with that, but if he honestly loves you, he's not going to force you into it." She nodded. "Plus, your dad's going to be an extremely happy camper, if he gets wind of it." She giggled. I leaned against the post holding up the ceiling. "And, I'm not done with that just yet." She looked mortified. "Look, Cam, don't feel like you have to be ready just because he is. It's possible to put it off. And you can wait until you're married if you're not sure. It's possible, I would know." She looked quizzically at me. "I married one of the world's only twenty nine year old virgins." Cammie understood then.

"What about you?" I sighed.

"I'm not going to lie, Cam. I wasn't exactly boyfriend of the year. And being a Blackthorne trained man made my manipulation better." She looked mortified. "No, don't get me wrong. I didn't use it that much. I used it to push a little harder. Generally, I won, but that's only because I met the kind of girls who'd give anything to finally say someone took their v-card." I said. She blushed.

"How did you lose with Lily?"

"She's very fragile, emotionally. I didn't think it would be a good idea to make her fee basically like I'd raped her." I said. "She would have been terrified of me. I'm not sure how she handles the fact that 'm a CIA operative, but…"

"Is she supposed to know that?"

"Who cares? I didn't give away any secrets about my missions." I countered. "And I can prove it, she's clueless to the danger I've been in. I'd rather embrace that nativity of hers for a little longer."

"Why though?" Cammie asked. "Wouldn't that drive you nuts?"

"On the contrary, it's refreshing, finding that one person in your life that hasn't been touched by the harsh reality of the dangers of this world." I said. "It's nice to know that she can be blissfully kept in the dark and write her novel ,and think everything's going to work out all right." I said. "Me, I can't. And I know you can't. You almost lost your dad."

"My number one man." She said, so quiet I almost missed it.

"He'd like to hear that you know." She nodded.

"I know. That's what I wrote on that flyer I handed him." She said, fiddling with a bracelet she wore. Dave's old bracelet.

"You know, Cam, he's not the most amazing person in the world. And he seems tough, but he's done some pretty gruesome things. I wouldn't doubt that he still gets nightmares from them." She nodded. "But he did them to make this world a better place for you to live in. He wanted you to pick a nice safe lifestyle." She nodded.

"Right, I get that." Cammie said. "I just… wish he hadn't disappeared for so long."

"I spoke with him yesterday." I said. She looked interested. "He said your grandparents were overjoyed. But they were kind of sad they already had his gravestone." She nodded.

"Yeah, that would really suck." Cammie said. I nodded. She looked a little worried.

"Mr. Solomon?"

"Hmm?" I looked in her now teary eyes, concern washing over me.

"That's not gonna happen to you and Zach, is it?" I froze for a moment, just watching her. Silently, I moved to sit next to her, and pulled her into my arms.

It was a long time before either of us stopped crying.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_~_

"Class dismissed." I said. The seniors left, soon to be replaced by a group of juniors, told to dress up like a bunch of regular teenage girls. Cammie sat with Bex and Zach. Lily came into the room.

"All set, Joe." She said.

"All right." I turned to my class. "Ladies…Mr. Goode, let's roll." Zach got up and did a summersault. Cammie and Lily burst out laughing.

"Cut it out, Mr. Goode." I led them out of the halls, and into the yard of Gallagher Academy. Zach caught up to me.

"Get your smart alec butt out of here, kid." I said. He laughed.

"Lily liked it."

"She likes it every night." I said, picking up on his intentional double meaning. Zach snickered. Tina caught up to Cammie, who was behind us. I lead them towards the helicopter, and had them climb in.

"Today's mission is to get information." I said, crouching down in the helicopter. Lily, who was meeting an old friend of hers in the same location, was struggling to climb in. I grabbed her hand, and eased her into the helicopter. "Why is information so vital?"

"It gets your mission done."

"Yes, Ms. Walters, but why? How?"

"You can use it to your advantage." Cammie piped up. "It gets your information on the target; you can use it to get him locked up. It gives you your cover."

"Excellent. Very good, Ms. Morgan." I said. She smiled. Lily sat down nervously. I figured out quickly that she had never been in a helicopter before. "Could someone tell me why your cover story is just as important?"

"Because you don't want to give yourself away till the last possible moment." Lily said. "I mean, if you give yourself away, you're dead, right?" Impressive.

"Yes… very good… Ms. Kingsten." I said. She smiled tentatively. Cammie and Zach grinned encouragingly at her.

"Joe, what in the world are we going here for?"

"Don't worry about it, Markus, just fly." Lily looked surprised. I winked at her. Markus was an old friend of mine. More importantly, one I worked with at Langley.

"All right. You never cease to amaze me, Solomon."

"You aren't the first person to have told me that." I said. "Lily, go join him. And make sure he doesn't give away our location." She nodded. "I want to see your interrogation tactics, your lying skills, and your manipulation skills. Everything." I said. "Bring back information." I looked at the thirteen nodding teenaged spies. "I want your cover stories, everything. The report is due Monday." I said. I turned to Lily. "How are we doing up here?" She looked nervous. I had my back blocking my student's views, so I grabbed her hand. Markus looked at the GPS system, and followed it in the right directions. We landed several yards off of the vast amusement park.

"Cedar Point?" Lily mouthed at me. Oops, forgot she'd been there once or twice. My native Michigander was quick to pick these things up.

"Yes, love." I mouthed, pressing my lips silently to her fingers. She smiled and climbed from the passenger's seat. I jumped out right behind her. She was slightly unsteady on her feet. I caught her before she hit the ground. That would not be good, being nearly seven months pregnant.

"Easy, Lily." I said quietly. "Go find your friend. Remember."

"Your girls will be here too?" I nodded.

"They might interrogate you for information. You are a distant cousin of mine." I said, quickly kissing her temple for good luck, and sending the woman on her way. Yes, she was the only pregnant woman in the park, but at the squeal I could see coming from the woman she was meeting, they would be taking it easy. I waved at Chrys, and turned towards my class.

"Ladies, here we go. You have free reign. If you can catch Mr. Smith as bonus…well, good luck." They looked determined, as I disappeared into the crowd, turning on my own comms unit, which let of some right horrible feedback.

"Chameleon, go for the guy at the hotdog stand." Bex.

"Right on it, Duchess." She said. I watched Cammie take off. I slipped through the crowd, adding a Snapback, reversing my jacket, and slipping on a pair of reading glasses. I climbed onto the Ferris Wheel, and waited. Thank goodness, we stopped at the top. I pulled out my binoculars, and could spot my wife, her best friend, and every one of my students, not to mention each agent protecting the girls. Eventually we moved, and I wound up needing to get off. I headed into an arcade, where several of my students had gone. Tina was chatting with a few girls. I caught Bex flirting heavily with a zit faced, braces and bespectacled teen looking overly eager. I slid a piece of chewing gum into my mouth, pulled out a dollar bill, exchanged it for quarters, and went over to a stuffed animal machine. Cammie was chatting with a girl, while Zach was chatting up another. I went over, behind Lily, and removed my hat. Zach looked surprised at me. I leaned in behind Lily. Chrys winked in a "I-won't-give-you-away" kind of fashion. I leaned in and whispered, "let me help you with that ma'm." Lily giggled.

"Why certainly." I slipped a quarter into the machine, and moved the crank around. I aimed it right over a monkey with big eyes, and fitting Lily's love of stuffed monkeys, and lowered the claw. The claw clamped over the head, and lifted it easily. The monkey was dropped into the prize spot. I reached in and pulled it out, handing it to her. I replaced my cap.

"Why thank you." Making sure nobody was watching, I leaned in, and kissed her cheek, before moving away. I looked in the food court, and found Mick laughing with a stranger. Anna Fetterman walked right passed me, and into the small souvenir shop. I bought a Coke, and sipped it on my way to the picture stand. Chrys and Lily had followed me out.

"Hello, ladies." I said. Lily giggled and pulled me in for a peck on the lips. "Chrys, good to see you again."

"Good to see you too, when you aren't all disguised and stuff." She said. I smiled.

"Well, when you're trying to keep a lot of things on the DL." I said. Chrys didn't know what I did. She knew I worked for the government, but the last Lily had known, she figured I was some sort of Ambassador or something. Ambassador Solomon. Kind of fits.

"Well, this is an interesting place to meet, for two people who don't like roller coasters." I said.

"I like the giant merry go round, and the other easier rides you won't find anywhere else." I laughed.

"You would."

"I like the…there were…"

"Admit it Chrys, you were checking out the cute guys." Lily teased. She looked at Lily then grinned.

"Actually, yeah, I was." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I'll just…" I kissed Lily on the cheek. "Copter takes off at five, dear." I said. She nodded, and kissed my cheek. "Love you."

"Love you more!" She said. I walked away. Feeling like I'd forgotten to do something. I went over to a souvenir shop, and bought a necklace Lily would love, then was on my way to the dreaded Splash City, where I'd probably find some of my students flirting with the more attractive male and very shirtless lifeguards.

Surprise, surprise, there was one of them now…. I walked passed, and towards a family of five. I passed by them smoothly. The man looked a bit confused.

"Sir, are you looking for someone?" I turned to the father.

"Oh, no, I'm meeting my daughter here. She doesn't know I'm coming yet. So, it's a surprise." Cammie was a few feet ahead, oblivious to me approaching and our conversation. Zach was nowhere to be found.

"Oh, well, good luck!" I nodded and was on my way. I turned towards my "daughter" and went up to Cammie.

"Act surprised when you turn around, Ms. Morgan." I went up behind them, and she turned to face me, and looked all excited.

"Daddy!" She threw her arms around my neck, and I smiled. "I missed you." She's good.

"I missed you too, honey." I kissed the top of her forehead. "You have a new friend?" Cammie nodded. "Well, I'll go over to the main park. You meet me back by five, we'll go home then." That gave her an hour, and the whole team could hear it. She nodded, kissed my cheek, and was off. I went in that direction, and headed back towards the direction of the copter. I climbed in. Markus was laughing.

"You know, Solomon, you forgot your mic." Well… at least I hadn't forgotten to turn it off with the students listening in. That would have been terrible. Lil was back first, looking tired. She was soon asleep. One by one, the girls came back before five. Some girls were writing down their information. I knew they liked to double back their knowledge with information and such. I sat down. Markus took off.

Once we arrived back, we went in to dinner, then the girls off to do their homework, and I went in to check papers. Lily, who I'd awoken before we landed, and who had stumbled towards the Sublevels, was asleep on the couch. Her half eaten pizza sat on the end table. I woke her up, made her swallow some cool, refreshing water, to wake her up a little more, and got some food in her system, before carrying her bridal style to bed. She kissed me fiercely. Getting caught up in the kiss, I kissed her back, and laid her down on the bed. The idea of checking more papers tonight was tossed into the nearby trashcan, and paying special attention to…other needs, was more vital at the moment. My phone vibrated several times, and I ignored it until about three am. Dave had texted me, telling me hi from his parents. In two weeks, we would be moving out. And Dave was spending all the time he could at his parents. Once he was done at Langley, he'd be heading back to Gallagher Academy. Everything was set to go.

"Joey bear?" I heard Lily faintly whisper.

"What is it, my sweet?" I asked her.

"Come closer, I'm freezing." I spooned her too me, and we promptly fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Christmas break wound closer and closer. Lily grew clinger and more nervous. Zach was anxious. Cammie looked worried. I felt determined.

The class before the break let out, I stopped my students. Cammie and Zach clung to one another's hands nervously. The class looked utterly confused, as I had never done this.

"Ladies, I have a mission coming up, and it's vital I go." I began, leaning my butt against the desk. They looked at me. "I don't know how long I'll be, or when I'm coming back." They froze. Cammie clung harder to Zach. "I wanted to let you know that you are the best training spies I've ever seen. You'll do amazing." I looked at Cammie. "Some of you better stay out of trouble." Cammie and Bex laughed. "And I want you guys to show your possible substitute who's boss."

"What if you come back?" I smiled.

"Then I want you to prove to me what I said is true." I said. Cammie nodded.

"We promise, Mr. Solomon." She said.

"I don't doubt it." I replied. "You've got more talent as agents than I've ever seen pass through a school, and I've taught here _and_ at Blackthorne." Zach nodded. Cammie stood up without warning, and hugged me. I was surprised, but squeezed her to me. Several other girls jumped up. Next thing I knew, I was the center of a Gallagher group hug. Zach smirked.

"What about Zach, guys, he's going too." I said. He glared at me. Cammie pulled away.

"You better not." She said to her friends. They laughed. Zach smiled. I laughed. Rachel came in. "Joe?" I looked at her, and caught her beckoning me out. I walked out.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Change of plans, it's going to take a little longer." She said. "Dave got new intel."

"Fabulous." I said. "I want Abby to be my sub."

"Aw, not Edward?" I blanched.

"Gross, he's no spy." She laughed. "No, I want Abby. She'll give them what they need." I said. "I've already informed them of my possibly late return." She nodded. I went back into the room. Zach was lightening the mood with a bunch of really funny stories.

"…So then Joe looks at Jonas and was like 'what, too much research, so you forget to put on some pants again?'" Everyone laughed. "And he's like '…oh'." I grinned. I remembered that. The bell rang.

"Class dismissed." They started gathering their stuff. "Oh, and ladies?" They all turned to me. "Have a good Christmas. And keep this in here. I don't want the entire school to know I'm leaving." They giggled, and left. I packed up, and turned down the hall, and towards my rooms, where my beloved sat on the couch, curled up with her Netbook on her lap, typing away.

"Hi!" She said. I kissed her, then put a hand protectively over her swollen belly. She giggled. Only she would find that ticklish.

"Missed you." I said, kissing her cheek.

"Missed you." She said. We spent the rest of the night, eating dinner, giving toasts (her with a can of Coke, me with actually wine), and being more horrifyingly romantic then I've ever wanted to be. Really, I've got a tough guy image to keep up, don't I?

The next morning was my departure, but all I wanted in that moment was to cherish the extra warmth of my wife and our unborn child. She was convinced it was a boy, one we'd send to a regular school, to lead a regular life. I was convinced it was twins, because, according to her doctor, her midsection was the size it should be had she been carrying twins. No, he wasn't calling her fat. He had hooked up the ultra sound machine and assured us there was one heartbeat, and we just had a huge kid.

Right in the middle of a hot make out session (great, Solomon, way to sound like a horny teenage girl), she pulled away, looking frustrated.

"What? Am I that bad of a kisser?"

"No, I have to pee." I laughed, and helped her up. I picked up the laptop to read what she wrote.

_We were in the Student Hall, celebrating out graduation with our teachers, before we left these halls for the rest of our lives. We were hanging on to goodbyes and leaving our friends behind. Sean walked into the room, and slowly sat down. Tears had stained his cheeks. Not even a teacher moved to approach him. Everyone had become instantly concerned._

"_Sean, what is it?" Bobby asked, sitting on the arm of a couch. Seth looked at him. I sat a bit straighter._

"_My mum passed away last night." He whispered. We stopped. Not a noise was heard, not a sound. He looked at me. "I spoke to her, yesterday, Remus. She wanted you to know that she loves that you forgave me. All of you." He spoke, his voice cracking horribly. He looked at Bobby. "And she wanted you to know that she loved you, for everything you and your family did for us." His voice grew stronger. "And, Professor Stratford?" He looked at Sean curiously. "Thank you, so much, for not treating me any different. Even when I treated Remus like crap." He stopped, unable to move on. I approached him, and pulled him into an embrace. He accepted it warmly. After I pulled away, he smiled sadly. "She always did say she'd live to see me graduate. I guess she wasn't kidding." Bobby's face was red from struggling so hard not to cry._

"_Bobby, just go." I whispered. "If you need to, get out of here." He nodded, before taking off running. Harper hugged Sean, then went after Bobby. Headmaster went with him. After Bobby had engaged Harper at our Graduation Ball, he had been even more compassionate to Bobby, and had given them a blessing of warmth and wellness. Their father wanted nothing to do with her wedding. Heartbroken, Headmaster declared it would be him to walk her down the aisle. I'd never seen her happier. Sean looked at me._

"_Remus, could you…" I nodded. Seth stopped him._

"_Look, Sean… if there's anything you want us to do…"_

"_Thank you, Seth." Sean said. "Actually… if you guys wouldn't mind coming to the funeral. You met her." He looked at us all. "She'd have liked that. Besides." He forced out a laugh. "I don't have any family left." That one hurt, because nobody should have to deal with that at eighteen._

"_You are very wrong, Sean." Andy said. "You've got us." Sean nodded, and genuinely smiled._

"_Your right, Andy." He said his voice stronger than ever, his eyes no longer glassy. "I do have you." I clapped him on the shoulder, and followed him out. We went to his room, and he sat at his desk._

"_I have to tell my father. I needed the moral support. And, seeing Bobby's taking this as hard as I am." He said. "I thought I'd ask you." I was flattered._

"_I would do anything, Sean. Heck, you want to share my parents?" He laughed, for the first time in a long time (except for at graduation, when he was with his mother)._

"_No, thank you, Remus. I'll be okay."_

"_Mum told me, to let you know, they would do anything they could if you needed somebody. She knows your mother's doctor." I said. "It's her brother."_

"_Ah…" He said quietly. He opened his laptop, and opened Skype. He clicked on his father's user name, and waited. His father was a lawyer from Stratford-upon-Avon. I settled at the edge of his bed. His father accepted the call._

"_This is a pleasant surprise, son." What brings you to my screen?" That was extremely, and horribly ironic. Sean looked at me as if he had read my mind._

"_Well, actually Dad. It's not so pleasant." He said. Mr. Robinson looked at him worriedly._

"_What is it?" Sean took a deep breath, and stared straight into the computer screen, right at his father._

"_Last night, in her sleep, Mum passed away." He said it without his voice cracking, or his façade breaking. I applauded him for that. Mr. Robinson went totally silent, in complete shock. "I thought you might want to know, because… well, I'm your son, and she's my mother…" He stopped. "If it makes it easier, and Remus here can vouch for this, at the Graduation Ball you so happened to miss," His voice hardened, so subtly I thought I had missed it. "She was the happiest, most beautiful woman around." Mr. Robinson nodded._

"_Son, I swear to you, I wanted to be there. I really did. But…well, here's the thing. Your stepsister, she's been in the hospital too, but with pneumonia. I've been worried about Karen. She's stressing herself out too much over this." He sighed. "I know you adored your mum, son. I really am sorry. I'll be there, help you out with the funeral."_

"_I want to arrange it. Because mum deserves the best. She dealt with a crappy husband, a loser of a son, and cancer." _

"_That's where you're blinded, Sean." I said. "You aren't a loser. You were crying out for help, and we failed to notice it." He looked at me, tears in his eyes._

That was intense. She was pretty good. I was surprised. But, that wasn't hard to do, I'd never read any of her work. She wouldn't let me.

"Hey!" She caught me. Oops.

"Sorry, I got curious." I said guiltily. She giggled.

"It's okay." I pulled her into my side.

"Sounds like you almost wrote that from experience." She snuggled against me.

"I lost my grandpa when I was fourteen. He was the nicest, coolest, funniest guy I knew." She said, sounding sad. "He's the whole reason I have a slight monkey obsession. He used to call me a monkey, trying to tease me, when I was little." She smiled sadly. "He died of two different types of cancer."

"That's…" I was never good at sympathy. Even when I was trying to comfort myself.

"It was." She read me like an open book. It was scary, how much she could gather from me, without knowing my past. She looked me in the eye. "Be careful tomorrow, okay?" I nodded. "Be safe. I trust you, and I know your abilities. I heard the way you teach those girls." She smiled sadly again. "Just don't forget to come home, alive or not, I want you home." We'd always talked about that; if I died, she wanted a body left to prove I really was gone. She wanted to honestly be able to say "Your Daddy's buried right here, and he wanted you to be in a safer world." I leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Don't forget to worry about me." I whispered, my lips pressed to her forehead. She half laughed.

"I won't." She whispered. We sat there, unmoving, for a long time.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

The next morning was brutal. I packed, and tried really hard not to cave in, and stay behind. _No, Solomon. You can't let Zach down. I swear. I'll personally kill you if you do._ Scary, how much my conscience sounded like Dave at that moment.

_I'll make sure you aren't around to see that kid if you don't._ Weird, now it was sounding like Rachel. I need more friends. I snorted at that thought. Yeah right. Like I'm willing to let more people in…

The school was calm, cold, and quiet. The kids, still asleep, were to leave later. Lily, Rachel, the faculty, Cammie, Bex, Liz, Macey, Zach, and Abby stood waiting for me. Zach was geared up, and ready to go. He was holding Cammie tightly. _Goode._ I refrained from snorting at the poor joke I made. _Note to self: Stop making bad jokes with Zach's name._ Lily looked at me, reading the thoughts in my eyes. She looked confused. I shook my head. I hugged Rachel first, then shook hands with some of the staff. Finally, I turned to my students.

"Be careful, you hear?" Bex asked, using her full out British accent. I nodded.

"Always am." I said. Zach smiled. I was suddenly covered in four Gallagher girls. Cammie hugged me the longest. Zach pulled her away, and kissed her. I rolled my eyes. _Typical man._ Hey, I have a reason. _I'm_ married. I'm not in an "unofficial relationship" as Zach words it. I turned to Lily.

"Be careful." I said to her. "Don't want you to harm that baby." She nodded. Tears filled her eyes. I pulled her into a tender hug, then pulled her away from me, and pulled her mouth to mine, kissing her full on. Abby wolf whistled. I ignored her. Lily had tears running down her face when I stopped kissing her. "How was that for a goodbye kiss?" I whispered.

"Horrible." That hurt… "Cause you won't kiss me again." She whispered. I grinned and laughed, kissing her again. I broke apart.

"I'll see you soon." I said.

"Be careful."

"Always am."

"Don't get too beat up." She said, mopping up her face.

"No guarantees, love." I said. Lily laughed through fresh tears. "Don't cry." I whispered again. "And this isn't goodbye. Not till the very end." She nodded. "Did I mention…?" She looked confused. "You look gorgeous when you're all worried about me." She blushed and smiled. "There's that smile I was looking for." I said, louder this time. I turned to find three very surprised Gallagher girls, and a handful of staff that seemed equally shocked.

"What, a guy can't flirt with his wife to make her smile? You guys act like you've never seen your parents do it or something." Cammie giggled. Lily smiled. Rachel hugged me again.

"Look, Joe, Lily's going to be fine. I'll keep an eye on her, go." Zach picked up his bag. I picked mine back up.

"Let's go, Joe." He said. "We've got to get out of here." I nodded, and turned to look at her for the last time.

"I love you." She said.

"I love you too." I said back. "Till death do us part."

"For as long as we both shall live." She smiled. We'd agreed on saying both at our wedding. We liked the sound to both, one phrase after the other. We're weird people.

"For better and worse, sickness and health, blah, blah, blah, come on, Joe!" Zach said. We burst out laughing, even Lily. I followed him out, and got into the car. We drove away.

I hated not knowing when I'd see any of them again.


	12. Chapter 12

"Zach! And Joe!" Ms. Morgan greeted us at the door of a small hut. We grinned.

"Mommy!" Oh, he was good. HE bounded up to her, and pulled her into a hug. One of the guys on my side smirked at Zach. "I missed you." He sure did know how to win over dear Catherine's heart. I nodded curtly at the nearest guard. She hugged me, much to my well-hidden displeasure.

"Come on in! You look famished! What they don't feed you at Blackthorne?" Good, she didn't know that he hadn't been there….all year.

"No, they just overwork me. They expected too much out of me, Mommy. Because of who you are." He was _really_ good at this "Momma's boy" crap. Seriously, where did this kid learn this stuff.

Then again, when you hang around with the likes of me…

"Aww."

"I took him out for private tutoring. He's advanced far quicker staying with me at the Gallagher Academy, and he can keep his eye on Cammie Morgan." Zach blushed profusely.

"Oh, have a little crush on her, do we?" She laughed. "It's okay, it's just information we want, right?" The nearest guy nodded to make her happy. The look he gave me told me she really wanted blood. Zach yawned and stretched.

"Mom, you don't mind if I go take a nap, do you. Major jet-lag." He said. Faker.

"Sure, baby/" He kissed her cheek, and went to bed. "Tom, show Joe his room."

"Actually, Catherine, I still have exam papers to check over, as exams were this week." I said quickly. You wouldn't mind letting me borrow your computer, or other internet services, to email the Headmistress my grades before the new semester, would you?" She smiled.

"No, anything for my best spy." She said. Goode. _What did I tell you? No more bad jokes about that last name!_ "Speaking of which, what have you heard on the escape of Dave Morgan?"

"Nothing." LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE! What was freaking _wrong_ with me today? I was like some fricken cracked up eccentric. Like Albus Dumbledore on cocaine.

I did NOT just make a Harry Potter joke. Lily would be so proud.

"After Tom shows you to your room, you can go see if our computer room will suffice." She said. She had no idea what my actual intentions were. Oh, sure, I'd send those grades. But there was more that I needed…

"Any special requests, ma'm?" Tom asked.

"Give Joe his total privacy. He takes care of my baby." She said, leaving. I smirked. Win. Tom showed me to a room, situated to every Blackthorne graduates standards. I closed the door.

"This place won't be bugged." Tom said. I nodded.

"And the computer room?"

"I have a computer specially reserved for you, one with every cloaking device possible on it, under her tracking radar." Tom replied. "Your free." I nodded, and followed my comrade into the computer lab. I situated myself at it, and began to actually check my papers.

After all, exams don't check themselves.

After an hour, I was mostly done. My junior class out of the way, I sent those grades to Rachel. I plugged in my flash drive, and also did some very discreet hacking, downloading anything the system had to offer onto it. I would send the files to Tom, who was a Langley official. He would be handing them over after Dave made his appearance.

"Solomon."Zach said, sitting down and booting up another computer. "You get any good checking done?"

"Almost through my class. Congrats, you got a hundred ten." I said.

"Sweet." He said. "I got the extra credit right.

"Look, so did Cammie." I said, handing him the extra sheet. "She seemed to take it from a different perspective than you." I turned off the computer, and picked everything up. "Well, I'm done for now." He nodded.

"Oh, I know some other secrets around here." He said. "Ones that'll help charm Mommy dearest." He grinned. I put my stuff away, and slung my lanyard, holding my flash drive around my neck. Tom was nearby. I handed it to him.

"Take these files to Langley. They're updated student profiles." I said. Ms. Goode believed it. "And, as soon as possible, please?"

"Sure. I have to get back to work, anyway." Tom said. He left quickly.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Joe." I turned to the sound of my name. I was facing Eric, one of the guys who sent recruits on missions. He's the guy who sent me on my failed attempt to assassinate the Pope. I was apparently supposed to fail. Some peculiar test of loyalty or some garbage like that. Little did they know I deliberately failed.

"Eric, hello." I said politely. In total truth, this guy kind of gave me the creeps. Like some kind of human-like Voldemort. Ha, another Harry Potter reference. Lily would love me to pieces.

"Catherine's looking for you." He said simply, turning on his heels and walking away. I went to the nearby office, and knocked twice on the door.

"WHAT?" She sounded angrily. Geeze, PMS much? I opened the door, and entered.

"Just me, Catherine. I heard you were looking for me." I said.

"Oh, come on." She said, seeing frustrated. "I've got a million things to do today, and Zach wants to leave for a few hours." I nodded.

"Sure." Lousy apology, if you ask me. In fact, she never said "I'm sorry."

"I'll be ready in ten."

"You've got five."

I was ready in one.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Solomon, we told you no more secret projects! They have to stop!" I hated my boss at the CIA. Stupid Agent Ryder and his stupid over touchiness to everything.

""Look, Gerald. Zach here can vouch for me; I couldn't pass up this opportunity. We're in the Circle _headquarters_." I said. He didn't show any emotions at that. Someone at Langley clearly ratted me out.

"I asked him to do this!" Zach said angrily, pounding his fist on the table. "You pull out Solomon, and we abort the mission. Your biggest assassin will still be out there. We can't risk this!"

"Tom from Langley is on his way back there with files off their system. Every file." I said. "Dave is the only one who knows the password to that flash drive."

"Dave?"

"Dave Morgan." I said. "He was captured by the Circle and miraculously escaped."

"I have my hunches on who helped him." Clearly, Agent Ryder didn't believe me. He glared. A cell phone went off. The angry agent (ha-ha, nice alliteration Joe) answered the phone with a bitter, "What?" He went silent. Zach casually leaned back in his chair, and doodled on his napkin. Suddenly, the usually bitter agent had a look of surprise flit across his face. "Rachel? As in, Rachel Morgan?" The immature twelve year old boy Lily occasionally brought out in me wanted to start fist pumping. "I see. All right. Thank you." He closed the phone without so much as a goodbye. That made me mad. Stupid, rude jerk. "You've got a month, Solomon."

"Give s three weeks." Zach retorted hotly. "We won't need a month." Wow, arrogant much, Zach? I sound like a girl right now.

"You better take them down, Solomon." I'd been there a day, yet he was glaring at me like I hadn't moved fast enough.

"Have I ever let you down?" I asked, my voice going slightly cold.

"No." He growled reluctantly. Zach grinned.

"Well, I won't either!" He sounded a bit relieved that O would be staying after all. "I promise, Agent Ryder, we'll take her down. She needs to be brought to justice." I agreed. She did no Goode in this world.

_SOLOMON! STOP IT!_

"What are you smirking like a fool for, Solomon?" He asked, making me sound like a loser.

"Nothing." Just making jokes that really aren't that Goode.

…I think the jet lag was clouding my brain. First I sound like a chick, now I'm making more bad jokes about Zach's last name.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"What are we going to do?"

"Just, hold on Zach. We'll get her." I said. "It'll be a whole." I sat in my chair, checking the last of my exams. I sent Rachel the last of my grades. Doctor Fibs emailed me, wondering when my next mission would be. Nothing significant. It had been a boring week.

_Doctor Fibs,_

_ I'm not sure. Be warned, you'll be needed._

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

The first Saturday we were there, I was in the biggest and best workout room in the world. I threw punch after punch at the punching bag on the ceiling. Having done my strengthening exercises, I moved to my fighting techniques. Sweat poured down my face, my bare back, my bare torso, and plastered my hair to my face. Gross right?

The exercise was the only thing keeping me from going insane, keeping me from thinking constantly about Lily. It kept my mind from Cammie, stuck at her grandparents, vulnerable, and probably worried sick. The more that worried me, the harder I hit that bag.

"JOE!" Zach shouted. I turned towards him. He caught my fist before it connected with his stomach.

"Oops, sorry." I said, wincing. He smirked, then looked concerned.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Just…" I sighed. "A lot on my mind, kid." I muttered.

"Oh." He said. He knew me better than any of the idiots around here did. Of course he understood. I punched the bag one last time, and stripped back the Velcro around the wrist of my gloves with my teeth, before peeling them off. I picked up my towel, and wiped my face off, while slinging it around my shoulder. I tucked my abandoned t-shirt in the waistband of my sweatpants. I went to shower and change, before going off to the room we had dinner in. I joined Zach, Catherine, and Eric.

"Joe, you wouldn't be interested in another mission while you're here, would you?"

"Come on, Eric, leave him alone." Zach said. "He's giving me extra training."

"Yeah, I put up with this brat; you think I need _another_ mission on top of that?" I teased. Zach punched me. I laughed. Catherine rolled her eyes.

"I'll never understand the male way of getting jokes." She said. I grinned. You know, there were times she was okay…then she'd ask you to kill people.

"We've got another day on the town." I told her. "You know, the usual. Running around, planting things on random civilians, laugh when they get confused. Figure out people's identities without their knowledge. That kind of thing." I said. LIES.

"Ahh, so extra training?"

"Of course." I said. She nodded.

"Be back by dinner."

"What would make me miss that?" I asked. Eric gave me the most evil, downright bone chilling, creepy grin ever.

Say no more, it's all Goode.

Kill me now, lacking humor….


	13. Chapter 13

Two weeks had come and gone, and all I'd done is beat the living daylights out of an innocent punching bag, and "trained" Zach. Actually, we did get a few days of training in, to please his mom. We waited for our recruits in Istanbul while Dave assembled and helped them plan out the finer details. Because of the extensive planning, and the fact that we needed the right time (next Wednesday, actually, before they moved on with this huge plan Zach and I were trying to dig up) we'd be missing a week of school.

Tom got back last night, and had silently joined me in another extensive abusive thrashing at the punching bag. It was late at night, so nobody was around. He stopped the punching bag for a minute.

"Hey, Joe, you think you and Zach could get away for tomorrow?"

"Two steps ahead of you Tom." I said, wiping off my face. "I told her we had training. She doesn't know how long I'll be working with him." HE nodded.

The next morning, we went to a small café in a neighboring city, sipping our drinks, Zach munching on a chocolate chip cookie.

"Dave and I got the recruits. We move in Wednesday." Tom said. "On your command." Zach demolished the last of his cookie. I rolled my eyes.

"All right, we'll start out with casual conversation." I said. "The second you hear her and I conversing, I want infiltration. Zach and I will be comm.-ed due to training exercises." Tom nodded. I caught two CIA agents nearby, keeping people from us. People that actually liked me, and weren't all mean like Ryder. I also caught Townsend nearby. Ew, why?

"We'll see you Wednesday." I said. Zach stopped me.

"Tomorrow night." He said, with a fierce determination.

"Why tonight?"

"Joe and I have been searching for this rumored 'big plan.'" Zach said. "It's nothing good." Or, Goode, if you're in the mood for more bad jokes. But clearly, this really wasn't the time for them.

"You figured it out?" I asked. Tom looked puzzled.

"What is it, Zach?"

"They want to attack Gallagher Academy tomorrow." He said. "They want Cammie, they think that's where Dave Morgan is…and they want to leave tonight."

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

Zach and I spent the next few moments, figuring out how to butter her up. Zach was good at faking the whole "Mama's Boy" routine (kind of like my four sisters and their "Daddy's princess routine.). I was, according to Lily, a charmer with my "devilish smile" and "sensual voice." I thought it was the other way around, and added with those curves, and that bashful little grin, the messy, ginger hair….

God Joe, don't go there! Now, don't even, you'll be flying back now if you do…

"Earth to Joe!" I looked at a very amused Zach. "Dude, stop zoning out."

"Sorry, lack of sleep." I lied. We went out for a workout outdoors in the Spanish heat.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Hi!" Zach said, grinning at his mother as we stood in her office.

"Zach, Joe, why are you sweating like wrestlers, and wearing comms units?" Instead of suspicion, her face read confusion.

"Joe and I went with Tom. We played Hide and Go See: Spy Edition." HE said. I nodded.

"Oh. Why?"

"It heightens the basic senses a spy adapts in training. It also heightens the five senses, as well as gives you good ideas for hiding spots while in Istanbul on any mission."

"Right." She looked confused.

"Mom…he's joking." Zach said.

"So, what, it was some testosterone fueled competition?"

"Pretty much." I said. "Tom's hit the showers. I think I will too." I stretched. "Then bed, I'm bushed." Lies, but hey…

They work.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"You'll never get away with this."

"Oh, but Joe I will." I glared harder at Catherine Goode. "And I'll take down your weakness too."

"You've already killed her" I spat. "Cammie's gone. The whole Morgan family's gone." I couldn't give up now. Not when Dave needed me, dead or not. "You even killed your own son." The cold, cruel hatred of some women.

"No, you idiot. There's one more…" Two guys pulled out a girl with a pale face full of freckles, messy, dirty ginger hair, a ripped Harry Potter t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and an old pair of Heelys. Her midsection was swollen…. Her crooked glasses were spattered with tears, masking her blue eyes.

"Joey bear." She whimpered.

_Lily…._

I glared at Catherine.

"No."

"Surrender then, Joseph Solomon."

"Joey." I looked at my whimpering, terrified Lily. "Don't worry, I'll be okay. Just don't do this, not for me." She said.

"She's pregnant." I said. "You can't… no, let her go."

"Why is she pregnant, Joe?" Catherine asked.

"I don't think I need to give you that answer." I said.

"No, you fool! Who got her pregnant?" She spat.

"Me." I said.

"Why didn't you tell us? You know the Circle rules."

"Because I wanted my child to grow up, and live a normal life. You know, kind of what should have happened to Zach." I heard myself say.

"Say goodbye." Catherine aimed a gun at Lily's head, and pulled the trigger.

I sat bolt right up, sweat pouring down my face, my bare, goose bump covered skin. My blankets were tangled at the bottom of my bed. In nothing but my boxers (get that dirty image from your minds you sickos!), I was now freezing, despite the sweat running down my body. A realization hit me.

_It was just a dream…_

Ironically enough, my phone began to play "Just a Dream" by Nelly. The song Lily and I first danced to on our first date. I answered the phone.

"Hi." I missed that voice. My room was suddenly warm. I smiled.

"Hi." I said quietly. I could feel a presence outside my door suddenly. "Listen, I've got a few things to take care of, and it's three am here…"

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry!" She said apologetically. "I just… I missed you. And I knew you said I could call you at night. I didn't realize it was that late."

"I understand." I said, trying to sound formal.

"Er…someone's trying to listen in?"

"Yes." I said simply.

"All right, well, I'll see you when you get back. I love you." She said. "And miss you."

"I feel the same." I replied. She giggled.

"You sound so sexy when you're being formal." She whispered, hanging up. _Oh boy…._

Sleep was not going to be easy this turned on. Why did she do this to me? With her voice? Why?


	14. Chapter 14

"Good evening, Joe." I heard behind me. I turned to face the voice interrupting my yoga. I was distressing for that night's event. Wow, I sound like a girl sometimes.

"Oh, Tom, hello." His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were determined. "Ready?"

"When you are, my friend." He said. I nodded, took a deep breath, pulled out of my pretzel like pose, and went to change, and find Zach. Together, we went through the cold hallways, and into the vast office of Catherine Goode. Zach grinned when he walked in. Eric looked bored.

"Mommy!" Zach shouted. I pulled a bored expression myself.

"Zach, baby, hi!" She cooed. He went over and sat on her desk. "How was your day?"

"Eventful. Round two of Hide and Go Seek is harder, especially when you're hiding from Joe." He said. I smirked. "And Joe was flirted with by like fifty women." I shuddered.

"What, Solomon, can't find anyone?" Eric asked menacingly.

"No, it's not that I can't get girls, Eric. It's that you're jealous because you're stuck with Marie." His fists balled up. In Eric's marriage, Marie, his wife, wore the pants of the family. She wasn't the nicest lady either.

"You take that-"

"Oh, shut up, Eric, you know he's right." Catherine spat. Something fell. Zach and I froze unnoticeably.

"What the…?" Eric muttered. He went into the hallway to figure out what got knocked over. "Is that-" _BLAAM! _A gunshot rang out, so loud that I winced. Eric's bleeding head jerked back, and he keeled over backwards.

"What the?" Zach stood next to me, gun aimed at her chest.

"Catherine Goode?" I heard Dave ask behind me. "You're under arrest for running the biggest terrorist group in the world. You have the right to remain silent, anything you do or say will be held against you in court." As he continued to relay her rights, Zach and I took off.

"FREEZE!

"Don't shoot!" Zach and I shouted, throwing our hands up in the air.

"Who is that?"

"Joe Solomon and Zachary Goode." I replied. Townsend stepped out from the shadows. Gross.

"Right, let's go." We ran in the direction of the minions, who were unaware of what just happened. Zach and I went in first.

"Jack, Amie, they're attacking!" Zach shouted, pretending to sound scared. I heard a huge argument, and Catherine, Dave, and Townshend burst in the room, clearly fighting.

"Look, I found him!" One idiot shouted.

"Shut up!" Catherine shouted. Zach pulled Dave away from his mother.

"Don't you touch him." Zach said.

"My own baby." Catherine said. "I never thought you'd betray me like this."

"Why? Because you think I like killing people? Or because you think it's a good idea to train me to take over the Circle once it's over with." He spat viciously, and angrily.

"Zach, let it go." I said. Several highly trained snipers from the CIA were hidden in the ceiling, training their guns on Catherine. "Catherine, you either come quietly, or you wind up dead." I said, pulling out my own pistol. Sure, I'd always told my students that if you needed a gun, it was probably too late to save yourself. But, hey, a little motivation doesn't hurt. I pulled back the hammer with my thumb.

"You wouldn't dare let him, would you Zach?"

"Try me." His eyes, his tone, his voice were cold. Like that of a trained assassin.

"But, Zach, I'm your Mother. Who's going to take care of you if I'm gone? Solomon won't be around to see you graduate." We looked confused. I knew there was something weird about this room. Dave looked around. Then paled.

"Joe." He said, sounding strangled. I turned around slowly. One very tall, very scary looking guy stood behind me.

"Oh…hi." I said, patting him awkwardly on one of his biceps, which were bigger than my head. "Nice to meet you."

"Come on, Bob." Zach shouted. "You going to kill _again_? In front of thousands of CIA agents?"

"Thousands?" Catherine asked.

"That's right, we have this place _surrounded._" Dave emphasized the word, letting it sink in. I felt something cold, and hard touch the back of my neck. Tom came in.

"Catherine, there's an emergency…." He looked around, confused.

"We'll let her follow you. But On two conditions." Dave said to him. "You let Solomon go, and you have agents follow you." What the heck was going on? Tom nodded.

"Bob, put the gun down. Solomon, you holster your gun too." I did willingly. Bob put his down. "Fine, you pick who goes."

"Zach, Joe, and I." He said. We nodded. The group made its way outside silently, and tensely. A loud fight broke out in the room. I knew several CIA agents had literally dropped in. We went outdoors, and into the biggest trap I'd ever seen. Four guys immediately grabbed Catherine. Several of her bodyguards came out. They all backed off. She had a gun.

"Zach?" He paled, and we turned to find.

"Cammie?" He whispered. She looked horrified. Catherine realized where his son's affections lay, and grinned. Six guys when for Dave at once. I tried to help him.

That work taking my frustrations out on the punching bag was coming in handy now. I fought guy after guy. Macey came up beside me, and flipped two; bonking another two's heads together.

"Nice work." I said.

"Thanks." She retorted, running to rescue Dave. I heard Cammie scream. I turned around.

Catherine had her held at gunpoint. Time slowed down. I'd never make it in time, even though I'd ran as hard as I could.

"Cammie!" I yelled. Catherine pulled the trigger. I dived. The punch ripped right through my left arm. I collapsed to the ground.

"NO!" I heard. Someone emptied their gun, and Catherine Goode's lifeless body collapsed to the ground. I felt a hand on my arm.

"Mr. Solomon." It was Cammie. I sat up.

"Look." I pulled up my sleeve. It had taken a chunk of skin from my arm, but never had it truly ripped through my whole arm. Hurt, but I would be okay. We got up. Godfather like Goddaughter, we faced our attackers with a renewed vigor.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

I woke up, listen to the beep of a heart monitor, the vibrations of some other weird machine, and some low voices. I groaned loudly, trying to figure out why I couldn't remember how I would up here. I felt a rough, calloused hand on my arm, and an itchy sling on the other.

"Joe?"

"Dave." I muttered, sitting up. "Why am I at Langley?"

"You fainted, man." I looked at Zach, who was grinning. "And…"

"You saved my daughter's life." Dave said. "You both did." Both? An image flashed through my head.

_Cammie and I, running towards Bex and her twelve attackers. Zach holding a smoking gun, his face filled with pure hatred…._

"You're the one who emptied your gun on…"

"No, my mom's still alive. I didn't kill her." He said. "She's seriously wounded, but…"

"Then…"

"I took out her legs, her arms. She's being considered for a lot of really horrible treatments right about now. Most likely, she'll get the death penalty." I tried to take that in.

"What about the-"

"Joe it's over." Dave said quietly. "It's done. The Circle is gone."

"What… I-"

"We took down their main base. About twenty people died, sixty more arrested, and most are on the run, and being captured." Zach said. "Because you helped me." Agent Ryder came in.

"You're story checks out, Dave, Zach. You may go." He said. "I want a word with Agent Solomon here." I smoothed my hair down, and sat a little straighter. When Ryder wants a word, it's major.

"We're aware of your help and assistance in this all, Joe." He started. "I'm sorry I doubted you." He sat on the edge of my bed. "I don't blame you for any of it. Even going behind our backs as a double agent for the CIA, instead of telling us."

"They recruited me at sixteen." I began quietly. "I'd had enough violence, but Blackthorne only wanted it. When they recruited me, and began teaching me it was okay to kill, I knew it had to stop. When I met Dave, I was so far gone, that he couldn't save me. He didn't know I was a member yet. When I turned twenty, he'd have been twenty three. He figured it out. Later on he gave me an idea on how to take it down."

"I know." He said quietly. "Speaking of Dave Morgan, he brought you some visitors." I looked confused. Cammie, Bex, Macey, and Liz came into my room. I looked at them.

"Ladies." I said. "I don't know whether to reprimand you as your teacher for ditching school…or to be a proud spy for rescuing us." Ryder clearly disapproved.

"Or speak as Cammie's Godfather." I knew that voice.

"Abby Cameron." I said. "Shouldn't you be substituting my class?" She smirked.

"No, Tom's taking care of that for a few hours. I came to get the girls." I nodded. Cammie sat on the bed next to me. "Well, these three. Cammie and her mom are coming home with you." I smiled. Cammie hugged me again. Ryder smiled slightly when Dave walked in.

"Keep her close, Morgan." Dave nodded. "It's not too long before she's out of your grasp." Something told me he had a daughter. I picked up my cell phone, and looked through my ringtones, and changed Lily's to "Kiss Me Thru the Phone" by Soljia Boy. Why?

Because Joe Solomon doesn't cry in front of his superiors, best friends, or students, that's why.


	15. Chapter 15

Normal people get in a helicopter and get excited.

Normal people enjoy the view, watch the clouds go by, and the hills roll by. Most enjoy the new experience.

Spies are not normal people.

I slept most of the ride, sitting right up front with good old Markus. Cammie supposedly sat nervously, waiting to go home. Dave watched the scenery, without really seeing it. At least, according to Markus anyway.

We touched down in the vast fields of the Gallagher yard. Cammie woke me gently, then went to open the door. I hopped out. Dave got out next, then lifted Cammie out of the helicopter. We thanked Markus, and went into the vast foyer of the school. Bex, Macey, Lizzie, Rachel, Doctor Fibs, Harvey, Zach, Madame Dabney, Mr. Smith (I still don't know his first name) and Abby stood with us. My eyes were for a particular red headed beauty who was nearing eight month pregnant, and was the plague of every nightmare I'd had. I found her at once. She looked worried at the sight of my sling. I ran over to her immediately and pulled her into a hug. I crushed my mouth to hers instantly. I broke the kiss, and pulled her into a hug.

"I missed you so much." I heard her whisper.

"Me too." I whispered in her ear. She barely suppressed a shudder.

"You'll go back to class Monday, Joe." Rachel said. We hugged.

"Thanks for taking care of her."

"No problem." I shook hands with the other staff, before being met by my four favorite students. I smiled.

"You know, ladies, I never did properly thank you for coming to our rescue." I said. "I wasn't happy that you were there…but-" I shrugged. "Thanks Anyway." Cammie hugged me. Then Bex. Then Lizzie. Then Macey. Until I was part of a Gallagher Girl sandwich.

"All right, let him breath." Zach said. "Don't go all soft on me, Solomon." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Me, soft? Yeah right?" I scoffed. Lily leaned up against me, her head resting on my shoulder. "You okay?"

"Just… yeah." She said. I pulled her into a dip, realizing it's a lot harder when someone's carrying a baby, and planted a kiss right on her lips. She blushed and giggled. "I missed you, baby." I whispered when I had her standing upright.

"Oh yeah." Zach said sarcastically to Harvey. "He's not soft."

"Nope." The naïve code breaker said, grinning. "Not at all." I ignored them.

"Come on, Lily." I said, wrapping my arm around her waist. "Let's go home." She smiled.

"Sure." She said, leaning against me. "It's nice to have someone to fill the silence every night." I smiled as we walked away. "First, to the infirmary." I stopped.

"Look, I'm _fine._" I said. "Headquarters has the best doctors-"

"Not for that, Joe." She said. "For…" Her hand went to her swollen midsection. "We have an ultrasound appointment." Oh…

"Well, lead the way, my love."

"I don't know whether to be grossed out-" I turned to look at Macey McHenry. "Or jealous at the idea that one of my teachers gets laid more than I do." I laughed.

"Well, Ms. McHenry, you are at an all-girls school." I said, clutching Lily closer.

"But…_still_." She said. Dave smirked at me. I winked in his direction, and we promptly walked away, hand in hand.

It was the happiest I'd been in three weeks.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Well, aren't you quite the silent man tonight." She said, curling up next to me with peanut butter on a spoon. I rolled my eyes. She was one strange girl.

"All right, sweetheart. I love you too pieces. I get the chocolate cravings. But what the hell is up with that peanut butter?" Instead of answering me, her gaze dropped to her spoon, which she idly twirled around closer to her lap.

"Joe…look…"

"What?" I asked, worried. "Did I say something wrong? I was only kidding, Lily, I swear-"

"No, Joe…you did say something wrong." She said. "But it wasn't the joke. We're having a baby. I don't want the kid to grow up cussing like you do." I got that.

"So… I'll make you a deal." I said to her gently. "I won't cuss around our son, if you don't infect him with your Harry Potter obsession." She giggled.

"No such luck on that babe." She said, kissing my cheek. "But I'll promise to do the same." Sure, she seemed sweet, and innocent, but when she was angry enough, she dropped more f-bombs then a bunch of Navy men. I captured her full, slightly chapped lips into a long-awaited kiss.

I missed this woman…

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Hey, Joe!" It was Saturday morning. Dave, Rachel, and the other faculty sat in the teacher's break room. Lily and I joined them, hand in hand.

"Good morning, everyone." I said. Lily shyly clung to my forearm now, nervous. I slid my arm from her grasp, and slinked it around her shoulder.

"We've got it settled." Rachel said. "Your sister in law's visit?" I nodded, and slid into the nearest chair. Lily sat down too, looking really nervous. I rested my hand on her thigh.

"How was the mission?" Hervey asked. "You came back really beat up."

"Brutal." I said. "Especially because…" I glanced at Lily, who went bright red. "Well, a lot of reasons." Zach slid into a chair.

"So, is that why you were brutally abusing that poor punching bag?" I grinned.

"Probably, yeah." I said. Lily looked confused. Instead of answering that question, I pressed my lips to her mouth for a moment. "I wanted to do that for three weeks." I said. This was out of character for me. But with the weight of the Circle gone, I was finally willing to show the world a small bit of the real me.

"Really?" She asked. I nodded.

"So much, I changed my ringtone to 'Kiss Me Thru The Phone.'"

"By Soljia Boy?" She asked.

"The very same." I knew she liked that song. She smiled sweetly, then looked confused.

"What was it before?"

"'Just A Dream' by Nelly." I said. Her eyes lit up.

"The song we shared our first dance to on our first date."

"The very same." I said. Dave rolled his eyes.

"Zach, you were right. He _has_ gone soft on me." I rolled my eyes at Lily, who giggled.

"I think it's sweet. Your ringtone for me isn't the first song we danced to on our first date."

"That's because I didn't take you dancing. We had a picnic in my parent's field." I remembered that…vaguely.

"Then what's the ringtone?"

"Our wedding song." She smiled.

"You mean 'Right Here Waiting' by Richard Marx?" **(A/N: This was my parents…idk, theme song, for lack of a better word, when my dad was in the Navy. I was really little, but according to my mom, they liked this song. It kept them together while my dad was being sent off to Cuba and Japan and such, and my mom was on base in the US. They're so cute sometimes 3) **

"I would make it that, but… well…"

"We never had a real wedding." Lily said. "We had a court room wedding." I nodded.

"It was hard to get married, when you wanted to die because you thought your only actual friend had, and there was a terrorist organization begging you to do missions." I said. Lily fought to hide her surprise.

"Not dangerous my left shoe." She said to me. I ignored her.

"That's too bad." Rachel said. I nodded.

"Maybe one day."

"Can it be after we have our daughter?" She asked.

"Why, you want our son to be in it or something?" I playfully argued back. Because we couldn't agree on the gender, we referred to the child as "our son" or "our daughter" without a second thought. We apparently managed to confuse the teachers too. "We can't decide on the gender." I said simply. Lily smirked.

"I know it's a girl."

"Oh?"

"It doesn't move that much." She said. "I hear boy's move like crazy." I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, and I'm an ADHD kid who has a candy addiction." Her weird analogies were rubbing off on me. We got weird stares. This was actually normal for us. She laughed.

"Is that why that chocolate went missing…"

"Because I ate it, our your odd cravings took over?" I asked, leaning back in my chair, my fingers intertwining with hers on her lap. She blushed slightly. Rachel laughed.

"Don't worry, honey, I know the feeling."

"At least Joe didn't tease you."

"Oh yes he did." She said. Lily grinned.

"Day and night?"

"Joe, you leave that girl alone." I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, mother." I muttered under my breath. Dave snickered. I got slapped. "Yeah, like that hurt."

"Do you want it too?" She asked coldly. Now I was scared.

"Um…..no?" I asked. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Be a man, Joe, you gotta mean it."

"What am I, a kid on the wrestling team?" I asked. "'You gotta mean it!'" She slapped my arm. I grinned.

Despite the abuse… I was glad to be home.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

I went into my junior class the next morning.

"Espionage is what, ladies?" I asked. They all looked at me in shock.

"The use of spies by a government to discover the military and political secrets of other nations." I heard the deep voice behind me. Turning, I found Dave. "In other words; the art of spying."

"Yes…the art of spying." I said. Cammie grinned. "All right…" I muttered, turning back to my shell shocked students.

"You're back." I heard from Tina Walters.

"Yes, yes I am." I said. "And I'm-"

"Hurt." I looked towards Mick.

"I'll be okay in a few days." I replied.

"Where did you go?"

"Istanbul." Zach said from his seat by Cammie. "To take care of some..ah… worldly problems." That's one way to describe the Circle of Cavan.

"Yes, yes I did Mr. Goode." I said. "That isn't-"

"We're glad you're back." Cammie piped up. I turned to her and watched her for a moment.

"It's good to be back, Ms. Morgan." I said. Dave nodded.

"I felt the same way after four years." He said quietly. "Having my daughter, my wife…"

"What was it like, being trapped somewhere, knowing you could…you know…die." Tina asked him. I nodded, and went over to my desk, giving him the floor. He walked slowly up to the front of the room, contemplating what he wanted to say. He faced the girls.

"Indescribable." He admitted. "Torture beyond words. More so then the physical torture they were giving me." Cammie and Zach tensed, their fists clenching. "I was being…taken care of-" His voice was bitter, wry, "By the leader of the pack, so to speak."

"She didn't." Zach spat, clearly bothered.

"She did." He said quietly. "Yet, she is no more." Zach looked puzzled. "Her wounds from your own gun were too great, Zach. She died in the hospital." Pain flashed across his face momentarily. But I understood that.

Sure, she may have killed countless people. But she was still his mother. His parent/ He didn't even know who his dad was. I'm pretty sure, his dad was probably murdered brutally by his mother. But, he still had me.

I nodded once at him, and he left. Cammie went after him. Followed closely by Bex. I let them go.

"What kind of stuff were they doing?" I asked, before I could stop myself. He looked at me.

"You knew Catherine Goode better than I did." Or Gooder, if it were the time for a bad joke.

I need a life. Really. This is getting ridiculous.

"Goode…as in…"

"Zach's mother." I said. "Don't hold him accountable, ladies. The man killed his own mother to save me." I said. They went silent. "She died apparently, if you have spoken correctly."

"Yes." Dave said. "And, even though he wanted to bring her down… that still probably hurts, knowing he killed her." Dave said. I nodded.

"It probably does." I said. "I wouldn't know."

"It would be like running away, knowing you'd hurt her even if you did." That was a low blow, and the pain punched a hole in the middle of my chest, but I got the analogy. I kept my face composed. He didn't look at me. "Or if you told your best friend you hate her, and you really don't."

"What did they do? I mean, as an organization." Mick asked.

"They killed people. They were assassins. Some from Blackthorne, some from here." He said. "Some from European schools." Dave looked at every one of my girls before looking at me. "All I know is that its absolute torture when they try to have you kill your best friend." Something stopped me. "A year after you go missing."

My one year wedding anniversary….

They bullet that sunk in my arm….

Lily demanding to know my real job…..

That was him.

I looked up in shock. He shook his head. "And the excruciating pain behind it when you deliberately miss his head. Not to mention the crushing guilt when the bullet hits his arm, and almost hit his wife. And it was supposed to burst open the glass in his hand." My right hand tingled with the memory. The scar on the back of my hand still itched.

"I don't think she would ever forgive you…." Wait a second. "How did you know who she was?"

"Spy." He said, pointing to himself, reminding me of Zach. "And, intelligence inside the CIA figured it out." Go figure. "People on…_her_ side."

"I figured that." I said, sticking my hands in my pockets, and fiddling with my wedding band nestled in the corner of my left pocket. I slid it on. "But still, that's…unnerving."

"They knew she was pregnant too. Just not how far." That explains the special treatment.

"Mr. Solomon." I looked up. Zach hadn't come back, but Cammie and Bex had. "What are you talking about?" I sighed.

"I'm the best friend he shot at, and I was the one inside enemy lines over Christmas, trying to take down the leader of the Circle of Cavan. No it isn't legendary, and no, it won't come attack anymore. It's gone. Any more questions?" Tina raised her hand. I sighed.

"No, I don't have a girlfriend." I said. The class laughed.

"You better not, Joseph Solomon." I smirked at their confusion. Lily stood in the doorway, next to a blank faced Zach. I turned to my students.

"Ladies…. Meet my wife. Pregnant, and nearly shot three years ago."

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"It looks like we'll be inducing you next week." I grinned at her. "Two weeks early, but that's all right."

"Just in time for Alice's visit." She said wryly. I snorted.

"Joy, the protective sister-in-law, a new baby, and a bunch of angry, horny teenage girls who wanted me to take them to bed instead of you." I said. "Exactly how I wanted to spend the week." She laughed.

I went into my class five minutes late. They were silently studying. I nodded in approval, and walked around. Cammie and Zach wrote back and forth to one another. I went up behind them, and noticed they were talking about his mom. I left them alone. I caught Tina actually looking intent on whatever she was studying. Upon further investigation, it was People Magazine she was reading. I stood in front of her desk, and waited until she looked at me. I raised an eyebrow. She looked up, then flushed, putting the magazine away, and pulling out a BioChem notebook. Good. I walked away. They were silent for the rest of the class. Good, because I had time to wrap my head around the fact that, in two weeks, I would be a father. The bell rang.

The rest of the day flew by in a daze, with Zach looking a bit off, Cammie trying to cheer him up, and me being more laconic than normal. Dave was running around, delivering the teacher's mail and doing other odd errands. The spy is him hated sitting and waiting, but seeing as our biggest mission was done, he was incredibly bored.

I went into my rooms, to find Lily sitting on the couch, drinking a glass of water, and totally zoned out. Even when I sat next to her, she didn't snap out of it. I gripped her small hand.

"What is it?" I asked. She was silent for a while. Now, I was worried.

"I don't know how to be a mom." She said. I sighed.

"Like I know how to be a dad?" I asked. She looked at me, uncertainty in her eyes.

"But you have Zach."

"I know I have Zach." I said. "But I met him was ten. That doesn't exactly prepare me for the potty training part." I said. She giggled, but it was half hearted. "Now, why don't you tell me what's really wrong."

"Alice." She muttered.

"Alice?" I asked. "Your sister? What About your sister?"

"Its… Joe she's everything a guy wants. Gorgeous, athletic, thin, naturally blonde, rich." She listed. "Then you've got me, the geeky sister who still dresses like she did when she was sixteen, and thinks she can write a book to be published one day." She countered. "I mean, my sister's so much better than me. She's going to try and steal you from me." I smirked.

"So, you're worried I'll fall into the lust trap?" I asked.

"No. I'm worried you'll fall for her act. She thinks she's so cool, and that I'm this weirdo from outer space. I mean, for crying out loud, she's four years younger than me, and she treats me like I'm the one who's the younger one."

"Does she now?"

"She's always done it! When we were little, she would physically hurt me, like biting me, and kicking me, and punching me. She grew out of that, and started verbally torturing me 'you'll never be good at that' and 'I don't want to be seen with you in public.' That kind of thing." Clearly, Lily was really hurt by what her sister had done.

"So why did you hide that from me?" I asked. "Tell me these things, hon."

"Because, then I look like the emotional, weak crybaby she always pegged me to be."

"But you aren't." I said. "Lily, when I met you, there were hundreds of people, crammed into the bar. Everyone, save me because I'd just walked in, was drunk off their asses. And I find the prettiest girl in the world, sitting at the bar, drowning her sorrows over a jack ass of an ex, with Coke." I said. "And I'm not talking drugs, either, babe."

"See, I don't drink, there's another one."

"I like that you don't drink. You might be adorable when you're slap happy, my sweet, but drunk… I'm not sure how you'd be." More lost and confused than ever, and that scared me. "Besides, I've seen you on one glass of wine. You get all tipsy, and giggly, and klutzier than all heck." I said. "Besides, I fell for you, not your sister. Oh, sure, maybe your sister is society's definition of 'hot.' Successful, athletic, and good looking. But you are Joe Solomon's definition of 'sexy.'" She went bright red, and looked at me as if I'd given her Christmas. "And besides. Your sister gets the men. But have a family." Lily smiled, and leaned her head on my shoulder. "I promise, I won't lust after your sister. If she made you this upset, I already don't like her." Lily didn't say anything, just snuggled closer, her hand resting on my thigh, her warm body pressed against my side. Her fingers massaged the inside of my thigh. Uh, oh…..

"Uh, L-Lily?" I stammered. "W-what are y-you doing?" I had long ago thrown a blanket over us. She looked up innocently.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, slowly inching her fingers closer to my…well…..

"I…y-your hand." I mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

"What's it doing Joe?" She asked. Oh, God this woman was evil sometimes. I cleared my throat, and thought process became hard, once the blood drained from your body to your….nether regions.

"D-dear, I-I-I….." I couldn't even make coherent sentences. She winked evilly at me, then got up to leave, heading towards the bathroom.

Damn her…

I'll get her back. She better not worry.


	16. Chapter 16

Lily had been worried, angry, and really moody all week. It was Tuesday, and I was wishing the week would go by faster. Finally, I'd had enough. I went to Rachel's office, and went in without knocking. Dave sat on the couch, reading a very thick novel. Rachel was filling out paperwork.

"Can I help you?"

"Look, Rachel, we need to get Lily out of this school for a night. She's driving me nuts." I said.

"Take her out to dinner." Dave muttered from behind his novel. I turned to him.

"That's actually not a bad idea." I said. "I turned to Rachel. "But where?" She turned to her computer and clicked a few times, typed a few things out, clicked a few more times, and then turned the screen to me.

"Right here." She said. A nice, elegant restaurant was covering the screen.

"Where is that?" I asked.

"Just outside Roseville."

"Oh, all right." I said. "I can do that."

"I was there the other day, a meeting with the trustees." She said. "The prices are very reasonable."

"Excellent." I said.

"But it's formal wear." Dave said, looking at us through his horn-rimmed glasses, the gold color shining in the fluorescent lighting of the office. "I was there once, before Cammie was born. Rachel spoke here, we had a small date there, before coming back."

"I can handle formal wear." I said. "Is that like a night thing or something?"

"Yeah." Rachel said. "During the day it's a lot more casual. They like the nights to be more romantic."

"Right." I said. "Want to help Lily get ready? She nearly blinded herself trying to put make up on the last date we went on." Her eyesight was horrible, and it made for a horrible attempt at adding mascara to her blonde lashes.

"Sure!" Rachel said. "Maybe we can get the girls to help out."

"Hey, whatever works." I said. "Just… make it something special. She gets induced Thursday." I said. "I'll take her out Wednesday night. Next week, her sister comes in."

"What's going on for that?"

"The teacher's, you, Cammie and her friends, Joe, and Lily will meet her in the foyer." Rachel said. "And the school will be in Code Red. We just have to give them a reason why."

"I'll think of something, don't worry." I said. "Thank you. Talk to her for me, will you?"

"Sure, I'd love too." Rachel smiled. I nodded, and turned on my heels to leave.

"I'll come over for a few minutes tomorrow." Dave said. "Before you get Lily from Rachel's grasp. I want to double check on the nursery."

"Thanks, Dave." I muttered, and was out the door. I made my way towards the Sublevels, when a small figure crashed into me. I reached out to steady it immediately.

"I'm so sorry." She said, then looked up at me. "Oh, Mr. Solomon!" The girl blushed.

"Ms. Sutton, you must watch where you are going." I said. "What's troubling you?"

"Nothing, just… I need research done is all." She said, walking away. Odd, she never acted that flustered before. I caught Zach. He nodded at me. I went to the Sublevels, and found Lily on the couch, her hand on her swollen belly, watching Nurse Jackie **(A/N Peter Facinelli is in it. He plays Carlisle on Twilight. I'm not really into Twilight anymore, but I love him! He's an awesome actor.)** I sat down to watch with her.

Later that night, while checking some papers, and listening to the soothing sound of the Harry Potter soundtrack coming from Lily's iPod dock, I heard feet padding through the room. Odd, wasn't Lily in our room, sleeping? I looked up. She was in a pair of sweatpants, my old Yale sweatshirt, and her hair down, the ponytail bump washed away from her shower. She had dried her hair too.

"Looking gorgeous as ever, my sweet." I said. She blushed. A song played over the radio. It was called "That Get's Me" by Lonestar. Her favorite country band. I put down my dying red pen, and stood. I grabbed her hand, and said, "May I have this dance?" She giggled and nodded shyly. I pulled her to the center of the room, and we slowly twirled around to the beat of the song. She removed her hand from mine, and rested it on my shoulder. My free hand trailed to her waist, and stayed there. Her head was on my chest.

We danced like that through all of the songs, despite the oddity of the order. We went from "I'll Make Love To You" by Boys II Men, to "Sexy And I Know It" by LMFAO, to "Don't Stop Believin'" By Journey, to "Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse. It was an interesting dance we shared, but we didn't stop.

Early the next morning, I rolled out of bed, and set my feet on the squishy carpet (dear God… did I just say "squishy"? Dave's right, I spend too much time with Lily!) and into the bathroom, my feet touching the cold tile of the room.

After my refreshing shower, amongst other things, I came into the room again, and properly looked at my wife. She slept with two pillows under her head, a third folded and supporting her swollen midsection. She was clutching the comforter to her. I pulled it higher, and gently kissed her forehead, before pulling on a pair of pants, and a polo. I pulled on some shoes, and heard Lily groan behind me.

" I can't wait to have this baby, Joe." She muttered. "Then I won't have to struggle out of bed every morning." I laughed, and helped her up. While she made her way to the bathroom, I went to get her some toast. She came out just as the toast popped out of the toaster, and I buttered it for her, then laid it in front of her. Kissing her goodbye, I made my way to the cafeteria for some breakfast, and a warm cup of coffee. Snow covered every frosted-over window, explaining the chill. I was warmed by the heat of my mug, and the warm food sliding down my throat. I went into my classroom, and started a fire in the Sublevel Two fireplace. The girls would get a chill seeping right through their thin sweaters. I warmed by it, before sitting down and finishing the last of my grading. Bex, Cammie, and Zach were the first ones in the classroom.

"Look, he's actually using the fireplace!" Zach said. I rolled my eyes.

"How's..." Cammie's voice trailed off when Tina came in.

"She's fine." I said simply, adjusting in my chair. My lower back was killing be, the chill making the vertebrae, sense healed by the miracle of chiropractic work after an unfortunate break dancing competition when I was a teen. What? A homeless teen had to win money somehow. Besides, I was good at it. When my back wasn't bothering me, I could still do a few of the moves. Actually, I did them on missions, beating the bad guys and such. You know, like back flips. Not so much air flares. Those really didn't help, unless you really want your leg blown off or something.

"All right class, listen up." I said, clapping my hands together once. "I'll be gone for three weeks. I think I know who your sub may be." I said, glancing at Zach slyly. "However, I will be monitoring from time to time. He may be working in your classroom, but I'll be holding the pop quizzes." I smirked evilly. "Besides, he's one of the top at CIA. He won't let me down." They looked scared.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere." I said. "I'll be right here." I knew they weren't settling for that, so I sighed. Well, I did trust them, and I did favor them, which was against the Joe Solomon Guide to Teaching. But, they were… well, Cammie's friends. I sighed, and looked at them. "Lily's having her baby on Thursday." I said. They got really excited at once. Zach flinched. Thousands of questions flew at me at once. "Hold on, ladies, one at a time." I said, putting up my hands to stop them. A swollen belly made its way into the doorway, then the rest of the girl.

"What's going on in here? Are you teaching your juniors or scaring a bunch of teenage girls?"

"Hey!" Zach shouted. She laughed.

"Sorry!" I smirked.

"I told them you were delivering on Thursday." I said. "They started freaking out." Girls….

Actually, they were young women. When I started, they were girls. But most of them were getting closer to eighteen every day.

That was a scary thought.

Zach? Eighteen? God, save us all.

I turned to the students, looking like they were going to pee themselves with excitement. I gave Lily my chair, which she gratefully took. "Crap, now I can't get up." The girls giggled.

"Well, then you'll be sitting through a whole lot of spy lessons today." I said, walking towards my students. "Name some things that are a dead giveaway on the difference between civilians and trained operatives. Ms. Morgan."

"Um…well…" She said, thinking hard. "A normal security guard winces at the sound of feedback or static in his ear. An operative ignores it."

"Excellent. Mr. Goode."

"A trained operative hides behind his cover, clings to it. A civilian, pathological liar or not, can't keep their story pinpoint perfect."

"Yes, absolutely. Ms. Walters!" I said.

"An operative is always searching for danger." She said. "A civilian isn't worried about that."

"Yes, but how can you tell? Ms. Baxter!" I turned to Bex.

"It's in their eyes." She said. The class went silent. I figured they were taking in my awesome teaching skills (here I suppressed a snort) but they were looking at me with realization. "What are you figuring out?" Cammie was reeling in realization.

"Lily's not…" They stopped. "And she…"

"An agent?" I finished. "Knows?" I looked at them. "That's not what matters, Ms. Walters." I said softly. "It's deciphering who you need to look out for, and who you don't." Lily was watching me, rapt by my lesson. It was a bit unnerving. "And the cover story was precisely what I was looking for, thank you, Mr. Goode." He nodded. Cammie was writing something down. I ignored it, even when she passed it to Zach, who read it, then passed it to Bex. Weird…

"Lies, ladies and Zach, are the most important thing we tell." I said. "They keep out cover, our past. But it's how to detect them. I know Doctor Fibs had those truth rings, but this year's sophomores wound up with black fingers. We're going to test them out with a little game." I said. "Pop quiz." I added. "Mr. Goode, Ms. Morgan, Ms. Walters, front and center." They stood up. "On each card, we have either truth or lie. I want you to tell whichever it says, and we'll see if your classmates can tell if you're lying or not." I said, leaning against the desk. Lily was curious.

"I don't know my dad." He's good.

"My dad speaks twenty five languages." Cammie said. Does he now?

"My Dad was a trustee for Blackthorne." She said. Lies. Her father is part of the hacking team over at Langley.

"Tina." Mick said instantly.

"How?"

"She couldn't keep eye contact." She replied. "And her pupils dilated."

"Very good." If this were Hogwarts, Lily behind me would be awarding out points. "now-"

"Can we test it out on you." I stopped.

"Come on, Joe." Lily said. "Let's see the master play his own game." She read too much.

"All right." I said. "I'll tell you two things that are true, and two lies. You guess the lies." I thought for a moment. "My favorite color is black." Lily's was, actually. "I can speak, fluently, thirty languages. My father was thirty two when I was born. My first teaching job was in a public school in Arkansas." They looked at me in shock.

"He's good." They said.

"May I?" I heard from my right. I looked at Lily.

"By all means." I said quietly.

"Your father was forty five, you only know twenty eight languages, you didn't teach until your old school asked you too, before we me, and black isn't your favorite color." She said. "It's green."

Ho…ly…crap.

"How do you _know_ that?" Tina asked.

"We're married, that's cheating." I said. She shook her head.

"Your parents are from a time when young marriage was common, but you claim to have four older sisters. If the girls knew your actual age, they'd figure that out. You have worn either green ties or shirts for a while, indicating that it's your favorite color. We met while you were still teaching at your old school, but you were on summer vacation, out at Myrtle Beach, where I was fried to a crisp. And you once listed to me the list of languages you know, and in their native tounge, and there weren't thirty on the list."

"What are you, my personal Sherlock Holmes or something?" I asked. She smirked. "All right, let's try that again from someone who _doesn't _know my background…." I thought again, a little miffed by being outshined by her surprising ability to see right through me.

"I have been to twenty one countries in the last five years. My family has no clue where my whereabouts are. I've been a friend of the Morgan's for ten years, and I've been married for four."

"I know which one's a lie." Lily said immediately. "The countries. Your hand goes to your hair when you lie. Like your recalling a number or something." She was better than some operatives were.

"All right, any more guesses?"

"You've known my dad for twenty odd years." Cammie said immediately. "If he'd known you ten years, he wouldn't trust you nearly as much."

"Very good." I said.

"You've been married almost seven years. It's on the inside of your wedding band." Zach said. "I caught it imprinted on your finger after working out in the P&E barn yesterday."

"But…your family?" The silence answered that question for me.

"I never would have guessed you were that good." Bex said. "I mean, I get the girlfriend lie from last year, but-"

"Aah, that wasn't a lie." I said. "Lily wasn't my girlfriend, but my wife. At the same time, she is also my permanent girlfriend." I said.

"Clever." Lily said. "See, ladies, that's why I liked him, cause he's smart." She said. Fighting a blush, I looked at her. She smirked. "And his charm when walking into a bar full of drunken idiots."

"You met in a bar?"

"I was actually on a mission." I said. LIES. "Pure coincidence we saw each other three days later." BIG FAT LIAR! "At a restaurant, where I met someone behind enemy lines." LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE, HAING FROM A TELEPHONE WIRE! "And then again a few months later at the same bar." WHERE'S THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER? CALL 911, MY PANTS ARE BURNING THE SCHOOL FROM ALL THAT LYING! Okay, now I was going mental. Because A) When did I ever reveal this much to a bunch of students? And B) My date was actually making me nervous.

Weird...

_RING RING!_

Literally, saved by the bell. Goode.

For God sakes Joseph, get a grip on yourself!

Good word, don't think dirty!

I need new jokes. Or a therapist, whichever is easiest to overcome my lame-ness. Lily gave me an odd look, before struggling to her feet.

"What, thinking about how corny the jokes you keep to yourself are?"

"No, trying to figure out how I let those girls know that much about me."

"You love them. They're like your daughters, Joe, I can see it." Whatever, Lily. I kissed her forehead. Because it was a half day, I had the seniors, then I could go back to my rooms, and find better jokes before I totally lost it. Lily was gone. Rachel had taken her to get ready.

At about five, Dave came over. Our reservations weren't until seven, but Dave had "had enough of that girl crap" and needed some "manly discussions to clear his head of lipstick, mascara, push-up bra possibilities, and your sex life." Girls really talk about that? That's weird. Or disturbing. Whichever you think of first.

"How's the nursery?" He asked. We checked it out. The walls were blue, and the crib white. The sheets were yellow, and the mobile hanging above the crib was of little moons and stars. The changing table was white, and the wooden rocking chair sat in a corner, next to a dim lamp, and a radio, that we had this "Baby Einstein" classical music next too. I didn't want to scar my son that early with the crap on the radio now, like "Can't Be Tamed" or (God, help me) "S&M." (Although, the tune was catchy, the lyrics were disturbing. But, I knew what that was before the actual song. Don't ask how or why, because that's one story I will never tell.) Classical music was good for the thought process. At least, Lily and I had always thought it helped us.

"Looking good. I'll build that dresser for you guys tonight, and Thursday you'll be a Daddy!" I blushed slightly at that idea.

"Actually, Dave that's why I'm glad you're here." I said, going into the living room to iron my tuxedo.

"Why, what is it?"

"Nothing bad, don't worry. It's just…" I plugged in the iron and laid out the tux across the ironing board. "You'll be Godfather, right?"

"Of course!" Dave's face lit up. I grinned; his excitement was contagious, it always was. "Joe, I'm…wow."

"Well, you gave me the honor, and I want to return the favor to you. Besides, Cammie'll have a Godsister, and you can visit more. Plus, Lily'll love that, because I'll see you more. And, well, you're practically a big kid yourself, so…" I god slapped across the back of the head for that one. "All right, I deserved that one." I said. He grinned. I went to put on my tux after a quick shower, I styled my hair with gel, and came out.

"Lookin' good Solomon!' Dave said, winking. "You'll be getting' laid tonight!" I rolled my eyes.

"All right, Dave, no jokes."

"Come on, you've got the sex drive of a jack rabbit."

"How in the hell could you possibly know that?"

"Spy." He said, pointing to himself, creepily reminding me of Zach.

"Remind me to keep you as far away from Zach as possible." I said. Dave grinned.

"Dude, I picked that up lecturing at Blackthorne. It's a Blackthorne thing, not a Zach Goode thing." Oh, Goode.

…Not again.

"Then why is it that I only hear Zach say it?"

"Because Zach is one of three boys you actually talk to." Dave retorted. "I read where your mind was going." We left my quarters, and into the halls to meet Lily in the foyer. "Don't make cheesy jokes about Zach's last name."

"I've been doing that for the past three weeks, Dave. It's like a freaking sixth sense." I said. Several girls stared at Dave in shock. That was odd. They don't normally look that flirty.

"Looking good there, Solomon." One of the seniors said. Oh, that's awkward. It wasn't Dave they were looking at. It was me.

Can I go curl up in a whole and die now?

Cammie and Bex were in the halls when I passed them. Bex winked, and Cammie gave me a discreet "thumbs up" as we passed. I nodded once, before continuing towards my destination. Dave and I stood in the foyer, at the bottom of the steps before I looked at my friend, and his face was betraying his surprise.

"Uh, Joe?" I turned around, and took a surprised step backwards.

Lily had on a knee length, sleeveless black dress, which hugged her curves and pregnant belly nicely. Her pale legs were covered in nylons (I refused to call them that other word) and her face had make up on it. And this time she wasn't sporting a bloodshot eye from an accident with a mascara wand. Her long, red hair hung down her shoulders in loose curls, framing her gorgeous face. I smiled at her, and took the stairs two at a time. Catching the heels her feet were wobbling in (while stationary) I took her hand, and helped her down the stairs.

"Have fun!" Rachel called.

"Thank you!" Lily said shyly. Dave and Rachel waved as we walked out. I pulled her close to me. Despite the sweater she sported across her arm, she would be freezing in the January chill. I helped her into her sweater, and lead her towards the black Mercedes the school owned. I helped her in the passenger's seat, then hopped in the driver's seat. We drove to the little restaurant.

"I have reservations." I said to the maître'd. He

"Name?"

"Solomon." I said. He looked up the name, and nodded.

"Right this way, sir." Linking Lily's arm through mine, we followed him to a small, secluded table. He held out Lily's chair, and pushed it in when she was seated. I sat down myself. He laid two menus down. A slim, teenage girl came to the table.

"Can I start you with a drink?"

"Coke?" Lily's response sounded like a question. The waitress nodded.

"I'll have the same." I said quietly. She nodded, and walked away. I looked over the menu.

"This all sounds so good, Joey." She said quietly. I smiled.

"It really does." I agreed. I read through the menu, and decided to pick something random. I closed the menu, and watched her read instead.

Lily was a captivating creature, when reading anything. Her facial expressions changed, she pictured things as she read. It was fascinating. Eventually, after our drinks were set down, her menu was placed next to her. The waitress came back.

"I'll have the chicken parmesan." I said. The girl nodded.

"Soup, salad, or coleslaw."

"What kinds of soups?" I asked.

"Chicken noodle, cabbage, and beef barley."

"Chicken noodle." I replied. She nodded. My hand slowly creeped towards Lily's, which rested next to her menu.

"I'll have the beef stroganoff." Lily said quietly.

"Soup salad ore coleslaw?"

"The chicken noodle soup." Lily said shyly. I snatched her hand.

"It comes with two pieces of-" The waitress caught our hands and smiled. "Two slices of French baguette bread. Is that all right?"

"Absolutely." Lily loved bread. I smirked.

"Coming right up." The waitress smiled as she walked away. Lily was turning pink.

"I love you sweetie," She began. "But that was distracting." I laughed. She traced little hearts on my hand, sending goose bumps up my arm. I suppressed a multitude of shudders that night. I was going to be a mess when I finally got her home. Shortly, we had our soup. I sipped it, still holding her hand. She toyed with my fingers, something she often did when she concentrated heavily, and I happened to be there, holding her hand.

"What's on your mind?" I asked.

"That's what the status thing on Facebook says." She said, smiling. "Nothing. It's silly."

"No, come on, Lily. I told you, nothing you have to say is silly. I find everything you say important."

"It's just… I almost wish you hadn't ordered something to cut up."

"Oh?"

"I like holding your hand too much." She whispered innocently, going pink. I smiled.

Innocent and pure love, at its finest.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

That night, we lay in bed, and I was trying to sleep. I didn't want to be tired while we delivered a child tomorrow. I was nervous enough.

Lily suddenly started to trial her fingers down my bare spine. She knew that was a slight turn on for me. I rolled over on top of her thin fingers. "No tonight babe." I said, kissing her temple, and rolling back over. She then started to trace little hearts on my forearm. I groaned, turned on majorly. But it wasn't a good night.

And I thought I lacked self control…

Lily was kissing my neck, and trying everything in her power to get me to do something about it. Finally, I sighed, rolled over on top of her and leaned in toward her ear, whispering "Fine, but only because this is going to be the last time for six weeks."

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

We were at the nearby hospital, where the Gallagher doctor worked out of. He had Lily in a gown, me in scrubs, Dave and Rachel outside, and we were nervous.

"This is it, Joe." She whispered.

"You ready?"

"Yep!" The sarcasm was evident.

"Scared?" I asked. She nodded. Liar. The girl was terrified. I clung to her hand, and kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry." I whispered. They had already broken her water, and she was dilating rather quickly. Literally, we'd been there three hours, in the room for one, and she was almost ready to push. An OB-GYN came in, and checked her.

"All right, Lily, get ready." He said. I gripped her hand.

~*~*~*Dave~*~*~*Speaks~*~*~*

This was weird to me.

See, when I'd last been in the baby center of the hospital, it was Rachel and I in the delivery room, and Joe pacing nervously outside. Now, Joe was in the delivery room, and I waited with Rachel, Cammie, and Abby. Joe didn't know about the last two. We waited for an hour. As they started the pushing, her yelling was something I'd never heard the shy, polite girl say to anyone.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT, SOLOMON! IF YOU COULD KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF!" I laughed.

"Come on, Lily." Rachel said quietly.

"JOSEPH SOLOMON, I WILL CHOP OFF YOUR BALLS AFTER THIS!" I winced. Ouch. Rachel giggled at my reaction.

This would be interesting…

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT SOLOMON! IF YOU COULD KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF.!" I felt horrible. The epidural hadn't worked, and the pain was brutal.

"I know, dear, I know." I said. "I'm sorry, I wish I could do something about it."

"Just hold on tight." She whispered. The girl's pain tolerance was so low, if her headaches got bad enough, she would sometimes cry. It broke my heart to see her in this much pain.

"Sweetheart hold on, okay." I said to her. "You'll do just fine."

"Ready?" The doctor asked again. We nodded. "All right, push." After two seconds.

"JOE SOLOMON, I WILL CHOP YOUR BALLS OFF AFTER THIS!" Note to self: Hide the knives….

"Come on honey, you can do this!" I said encouragingly.

"I can't!" She whimpered. The pain was unbearable to her, but the torture of watching her suffer was worse.

"Just keep going, Lily." I said.

"You're doing great." The doctor said. "You'll be done in no time." I soothed her.

~*~*~*Dave~*~*~*Speaks~*~*~*

Poor girl.

Now I could hear her whimpering in pain.

"The pain medication must not have worked." Rachel said. Aww, shoot. That had to be killing Joe. Zach slid into a seat next to Zach, followed by Lizzie, Bex, and Macey. I didn't want to know how they got there.

"There's a whole lot of yelling." Cammie said.

"And a threat to remove a rather sensitive appendage." Abby said. Zach winced.

"Like he hasn't heard that before." I muttered. Abby smirked.

Suddenly, we heard a scream, then a cry.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"One last push, Lily." I said. She pushed harder. A loud scream of pain escaped her lips. I felt my fingers snap. The nurse holding back her leg winced; she heard the snap. A baby cry filled the room.

"We did it." I whispered. "We had the baby!" I said, trying to comfort her.

"What do you mean 'we?'" She asked coldly. Oops…

"Well, I got you pregnant with it, you pushed it out, and I lost the use of two of my left fingers." Which sucked, because I'm left handed.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry!" the nurse set my fingers (which were shattered) and splinted them. Great. The other nurse cleaned off our child, and turned to Lily. "Do you want to hold your new daughter?" I froze.

"Daughter…..

"Yeah!" Lily said, taking the naked child from the nurse and holding it. It still cried and screamed. She quietly cooed to it, while I took that in. I was shocked more than anything.

Lily had been right all along. I wasn't mad. But why is it that women are always right?

The doctor took the baby for a moment, while the nurse helped Lily get changed into a fresh gown. She was set in a wheel chair, while another nurse told them to wait in the waiting room, while they transferred her to a newer room to stay the night in. The baby continued to scream. Out of curiosity, I went over to my daughter (that was going to take some getting used to) and peered over the edge of the mobile crib.

"Hi sweetheart." I said softly. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. Something had changed. I properly looked at her, and she was instantly the most perfect thing I'd ever seen. And she was instantly my priority right now. "What's wrong, honey?" I asked. The doctor smiled knowingly. I caught Lily, her eyes filling with tears. The baby had stopped crying, and looked right at me.

"Take her, Joe." The doctor said quietly. I nodded, and scooped her up.

"Yeah, it's okay, baby." I said, sitting in a rocking chair. "Daddy's here." I sat there, captivated by the little girl.

"Mr. Solomon?" I looked at the nurse. "We need to check your daughter over, and transfer your wife." I nodded, and unwillingly handed over the baby. I kissed Lily on the forehead.

"I'll go tell everyone in the waiting room where we're at, and what we had." Lily was still teary eyed, but nodded and kissed me too. I made the journey to the waiting room, to find Abby, Zach, Cammie, Lizzie, Bex, and Macey had come. Well, that was a nice surprise. I sat down in a chair.

"Well?" Zach asked.

"It's a girl." I said quietly. Immediately the girls freaked out. Dave grinned.

"You've already got her wrapped around your little finger, don't you?" Rachel asked.

"Wait till you meet her, you will too." I muttered, receiving hugs from the entire group. I lead them to the room, and in.

"What happened?"

"Lily…" I said, grinning at the horrified look Dave gave my fingers.

"Geeze." He said. I smirked, then sat on Lily's bed. She looked tired.

"Hey guys!" They hugged her. Our baby was wheeled in. I scooped her back up, and gently placed her in Lily's arms. Lily smiled tiredly at me. Rachel came over for a look, washing her hands on the way over.

"She's gorgeous." Rachel said. "Can I hold her?"

"Sure." Lily said shyly, passing over the baby carefully. Rachel kissed the small girl on the forehead.

"What's her name?" Dave asked. "Have you decided?"

"Not yet, no." I said. "We couldn't decide on what gender it was." Lily yawned. "And it might have to wait for a while, she's tired." They nodded. Zach took her next, then Cammie (albeit shyly). Lizzie didn't want to, Bex was talking to Lily, and Abby played with her for a minute before I took her again. She started to fuss.

"She's probably tired, Joe." Lily said. Lily sure looked beat. I smiled.

"Hey, we better get going." Dave said. "Especially if we want to make it back for lunch."

"Yeah." Abby said. "Come on girls." They left, congratulating and good bye-ing us. Lily held out her arms for the baby.

"Hon, go to sleep, you look tired."

"No, I think it's feeding time." She said. Oh. Well…

She took the baby, and, before she could get settled, the doctor came in.

"We have a few shots we want to give you first." I took the baby into my arms while they made Lily roll on her side, then stuck the needle into her butt. (Weird, I know.) After a few more minutes, she was good to go, and the doctor promised us total privacy for a while. She took the baby back, and I handed her a hospital-provided bottle. She fed our beautiful daughter. We chatted quietly about a name while the girl ate. We decided on Annabelle, because it was a fitting name. And it wasn't common, but it was a good name.

After Annabelle ate, the doctor got her name, and t he nurse whisked her away so that Lily could get some sleep. Tired, hungry, and in pain, I went to get my fingers x-rayed, my hand casted, and then finally down to the cafeteria for some greasy pizza and a bottle of water, before heading back to the room, and crashing on the pull out bed from the couch. When I woke up, Lily was stirring, and the nurse had brought back Annabelle. Lily changed her, and I got to feed her. She was warm in my arms.

Around five thirty, Harvey came in the room, looking thrilled.

"Congrats, guys!" He said, shaking my hand, and hugging Lily, who giggled.

"Aww, thanks Harvey." Lily said. He washed his hands before asking to take hold of the small precious miracle that was mine. (Man, Dave was right; I _was_ wrapped around her finger.) Harvey visited for a while longer, then left to grade some papers. Lily was brought some dinner. After she was done, I let her have some quality time with our Annabelle, and went to the cafeteria for a quesadilla at some cheesy Mexican restaurant, and came back to find the door closed completely. I knocked and went in, to find Lily gone, and the nurse waiting by the door. I saw Annabelle in the crib, fussing, and I figured Lily was in the bathroom. I went over to Annabelle.

"Hi sweetie." I said, swathing her in the small pink blanket in her crib. "Daddy's back." I whispered, scooping her back up, and sitting in the rocking chair, slowly rocking her. Lily collapsed, exhausted, on her bed. Annabelle was out.

"I'll take her, you two get some sleep." The nurse said quietly, putting our daughter in the crib, and wheeling her away. I pulled some blankets over Lily's body, which was clad in nothing but the skimpy hospital gown she was wearing. She rolled on her side, and I rubbed her side up and down, softly singing to her, knowing she would never fall asleep in a strange bed without me. Once I had her asleep, I pulled the bed from the couch (last time, I was asleep sitting up. Not comfortable) and I kicked off my shoes, pulled on some pajamas (really sweat pants I often worked out in) and curled up underneath the covers, before falling into a deep slumber.


	17. Chapter 17

"Hi, Mr. Solomon!"

"Ladies, hello." I said, passing by two seniors with my sister-in-law and wife. They were talking as they passed. Cammie and Zach were laughing hysterically in the hallway. My teacher side was kicking in. "Mr. Goode, Ms. Morgan, don't you have a class to get to."

"Yes, Mr. Solomon."

"No, I don't Joe." Zach said. I looked at Zach.

"Mr. Goode." I said. He grinned.

"Come on, dude, don't play like that." He said in Greek. I barely flinched and replied in the same tounge with "Mi̱n párete mou me éxypno nearó ándra. Boreí na eímai thetós patéras sas, allá tha energoún san tous ypóloipous foiti̱tés. Den eínai proso̱polí̱pti̱s." He saluted me.

"Yes sir!" He said in English. I rolled my eyes. Cammie groaned.

"Zach, that was so bad, the mice are complaining." I bit my cheek to keep from smirking. I failed, miserably. Zach looked offended. "Come on, we're gonna be late for Chem." She dragged him towards the Sublevels.

"You better hurry; Mr. Cooke isn't exactly forgiving to lateness!" I called. Cammie grabbed Zach's arm and ran, half dragging the lunatic.

"He speaks Greek."

"Drill sergeant of a mother, he had." I said.

"Had?"

"She died." I said bluntly. "Was the evident head of a smuggling organization, and got herself killed. I took the kid in as my own."

"He's such a sweet boy." Lily said. Anna started to fuss, so Lily and Alice went to the teachers' lounge to leave me in my thoughts. A seventh grader came over to me, looking terrified.

"Can you help me? I'm totally lost, and I'm new." I took the schedule she handed me from her trembling fingers.

"Code breaking. This way." I lead her towards the room, and knocked on the door. Harvey called, "Come in!" I entered with the girl.

"New student, Harvey." I turned to the girl. "Mr. Moskowitz." I said. "Or Mr. M." She went in to sit down. I left the room to head towards the Sublevels. The school went black, and I knew it wasn't just a power outage.

It was Code Black.

After I froze, spy mode went into effect, and I pulled out the mini flashlight Lily insisted I carry with me, my first name printed on the side. Then, a thought hit me.

Lily…..

I ran as fast as I could, ignoring the rule that the teachers needed to meet in one central location at all times. I found them with Mr. Smith.

"Thank God." Lily said. I ran and cradled her and Anna in my arms.

"You get out of here." I said, pulling a gun from the drawer. We were in my old quarters, so I knew where I'd hidden some weapons. I loaded it, and Lily gasped.

"Joe, you can't be serious."

"That house we just bought?" I told her. Alice looked amazed. My spy training had taken over, and my husband training…rather "training", had lead me to get those two out first. "You three go there." I said. "Lily, you know the way." I shoved the gun in the waistband of my kakis, and found my spare gear belt. I clipped it on.

"What the hell are you not telling me?" Alice asked, looking angry.

"I'm no ordinary teacher, Alice." I said. "Lily, go!" She nodded, kissed me, and then was lead away by Harvey. Mr. Smith and I (we really need to establish a first name basis, this was getting ridiculous. I'm pretty sure he's my age. We spoke to formally for that.). We ran to Rachel Morgan's office, where we found Cammie, Bex and Dave in combat with several black-clad people.

"Solomon." Dave spat. "Two followed Lily out, go!" I ran out the door, and found her being cornered. I ran at one guy, and tackled him to the ground. Zach, who had followed me, threw a punch into the gut of another guy. I sunk my fist into one guy's nose, then the butt of my gun into his temple. I turned to Lily.

"You gotta go." Alice had taken Anna. Fear coursed through me when a man tried to sneak up behind Lily. _Oh, God. Please, no. Anybody but Lily._ She turned and sunk her knee cap into his groin. Ouch. I've been on the receiving end of that before. That wouldn't feel too good.

"That felt good." Lily said.

Did I mention I love her?

"Come on, Lily. We have to get Alice and Anna out of here. You seem to be all right, but your daughter…" They ran. I went back into the school. Rachel drop kicked one guy to the ground. I ran as fast as I could through the halls. Students everywhere were beating the crap out of these guys.

But something was off.

There weren't any grapple-a-chords, or other gadgets. One guy had tripped over a cloth bag.

They were regular burgalars that had somehow slipped through our defenses.

That didn't seem right either. One guy came at me. I ducked, and then gave him an upper-cut jab right to his chin. With an "Oomf." He fell to the ground. Anna was cornered by two guys. I ran behind them, got down, and swept my left leg. His feet slid right from under him. I bashed my elbow into the other guy's temple. He crumpled to the ground. Anna looked over my shoulder, terrified. Zach shouted "JOE!" I turned to find a gun pointed at my chest. Then a laser pinpoint to my heart. I stared down the barrel of….

A cleverly disguised water gun. I pulled it from the guy's hand, and crushed it in one of my own.

"Nice try, man." I said. Dave ran at me, then stopped when six lasers decorated his chest. His hands were in the air. I dropped the plastic splinters to the ground, and lifted my hands.

"What do you want?" I looked around. In all the fighting, we'd wound up in the Grand Hall. Cammie, Bex, Lizzie, Macey, Zach, and Rachel all stood in front, looking terrified. Dave was motionless, fearless. "Just leave Dave." I said.

"We want you, Joe Solomon." That voice…..

"Eric." I sneered. He had been the one man to escape the Circle capture. I stared him down as he approached. The lights came on, blinding everyone. I had stared into my flashlight beam long enough that my eyesight wasn't horrible. I caught Dave's face going pale.

"Yes, you're absolutely correct." Eric said. I stared him down. Dave dropped to his knees, and put his hands behind his head. That way, not only would he be in a position to clearly not be doing anything wrong, but he could do a lot of damage from down there.

God, that sounds inappropriate.

"What do you want from me?"

"Your life." He said, creepily reminding me of Moriarty from Sherlock **(A/N It's a BBC show I've been kind of obsessed with lately. One of my many nerd loves, you could say.)**.

"NO!" Zach shouted. "IF you want him, you'll have to kill me too."

"Don't move Zach." I barked, my CIA agent life kicking in over my fatherly instincts. "That's an order." He was determined. Eric held a gun to my chest. The silence was tense, the hammer pulled. Suddenly, when it should have been totally serious, "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" started to play. I looked at Dave, who looked confused. Eric closed his eyes, put the gun in his holster, then answered it.

"WHAT?" He barked. Eric went silent. "Not now, I'm busy." He sounded angry. I looked at Dave, and slowly moved my hand to brush across my nostrils lightly three times.

Dave keeled over. The guy nearest him crouched down and tried to help him. Dave sat up so hard and fast he head-butted the guy. When he grabbed the guy, the snipers shot, and Dave ducked. Six bullets tore through the guy. His bullet-ridden body collapsed lifelessly to the ground. I pulled my gun on Eric. Tom, CIA, held up his gun and let it off. One sniper yelped, and the laser was gone from my chest. Eric, who was deaf in one ear, and mostly deaf in the ear pressed to his phone had his back turned, and was oblivious. I pulled back the hammer. The guy suddenly turned, pulled his gun, and shot. The force ripped right passed me and straight into the chest of…

Zach.

I turned, and emptied the gun into the guy, his head, back, left hand, and shoe bursting open at the contact. I dropped the smoking weapon and ran for Zach.

"Zach, listen to me." I said. He looked up. "Stay with me kid." Rachel had called an ambulance.

"What…"

"Attempted murder." Rachel said. "We were grouped here on lockdown, and the guy found us. Several agents were in the room. The people we fought, training less, and scared, surrendered. Cammie held Zach's hand.

I got on the ambulance with Zach, as his guardian. They took him in for emergency surgery. I waited for him.

This would be a long few hours.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Mr. Solomon?" I looked at the doctor. "Zach's surgery went well."

"He's all right?" I asked. Relief washed through me. Thank God. "He'll be awake shortly. We'll call when he wakes up." The doctor left as Rachel came in.

"How are we going to explain that to Alice?" She asked, sitting next to me in the cold, plastic chair.

"I've been thinking about that, trying to occupy my mind, keep my mind off of everything." I said. "And I think I've got a plan."

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Zach?" I asked, going into the hospital room of a slightly deranged-looking teenage boy, with messy hair and pale as all hell. His neighbor was quietly singing to himself, but horribly out-of-tune, and it was a song about gummy bears. He acted like he was still high from the painkillers.

"Nice roommate." I said. Zach snorted.

"Right, the kids been singing for an hour now." He said. I sat down. "I guess he deserves the happy place though. They just pulled him from an abusive home." Yeah…I knew that feeling.

"Well, how do you feel?"

"Like Darth Vader stuck his Light Saber in my gut and tried to cut out my insides." That was a rather graphic and nerdy image. He must be hanging around Lily more than I though. I couldn't decide if that was a Goode thing or not. I mean, sure he would move in with us when the papers were cleared, and we had total adoption over him. And I wanted him to warm to Lily. But I wasn't so sure her nerd loves were going to be Goode for the kids mind.

"What makes you describe it like that?"

"Because I happened to be the kid that grew up obsessed with Star Wars." He said. Well, at least Lily wasn't plaguing the genius of his mind with her obsessions. Don't get me wrong, they make her that much more adorable, but in Lily's sheltered existence, you had your loves, you went to church, you didn't know about sex through your parents, and you thought the world was going to one day get better. And, I love her nativity, it made for a great, fresh outlook on life, but in the end, it wasn't the best mindset to give to your CIA agent of a husband, nor your adopted son.

"All right." I said. "Here I'm thinking Lily was to blame." He smiled slightly.

"No… I like Lily, don't be so hard on her."

"It's… Zach, when you've seen the things I've done, or heard about them, it's one thing. To actually do them, it gives you a totally different experience in life. Lily's naïve outlook on life might be an escape from that, but in the end, is it worth it to start believing her after it all?" He was silent. So was the rest of the room, aside from the singing kid.

"That's a good point." He said. "I get that. But I have seen the things you've done, and watching that in slow motion isn't exactly easy either, Joe." He said. "I knew who Cammie was right away. I was the disguised voice they used to interrogate the man. They wouldn't let me near him after I was involved with Cammie more than I'm supposed to be."

"Zach, don't you dare break that girl's heart." I said. "I love her just as much as I love you, you better not-"

"Joe, would you rather one day I come home in a box with her sobbing over me, to die in a mission because she let herself go, or for her to get over me now?" He asked. Surprisingly, his heart monitor was still steady as ever. "I love her, too, Joe, but what makes you think I want to hurt her in either way?"

"What makes you think you'll come home in a box?" I asked. That one had stung more than it should. "How do you know you won't retire early, have a nice set of grandkids, and be happily ever after?"

"I want that, Joe, I really do." Zach said. "But you never know." I had never heard Zach talk this deep before. It was a different side to him.

"You really love her?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said. He wasn't embarrassed, he wasn't ashamed. He was open. Zach wasn't the trained spy, the son of the leading terrorist group in the world.

Zachary Goode was a regular teenaged boy.

Goode. He deserved that for once.

As if to prove the conclusion I'd made, Cammie came in with some flowers and a smile. Lizzie followed behind her. Zach grinned and said, "There's my Gallagher girl." Cammie put the flowers next to his bed, and sat down, kissing him. His heart monitor beeped wildly. Rachel and I smiled knowingly at each other. Cammie pulled away.

"I hear that." She whispered. He blushed. She leaned in to say something in his ear. A small, tender smile played across Zach's lips. Lizzie looked at the boy in the neighboring bed.

"What's with him?" She asked out of concern. "High off pain meds?" I nodded.

"What else, Ms. Sutton?" I asked. She gave him a once over.

"He's Autistic. You can tell by his mannerisms." She said. "And he's an abuse victim. He's only about thirteen." Thirteen. That was horrible.

"Very good." I said. She blushed. Cammie had leaned into Zach's shoulder as he rubbed her back soothingly. Rachel beckoned me out.

"Spring break is in a month." She said. I nodded. "He needs to fully heal. Would I be able to trust him if he went to Dave's parents for the week? Cammie and him, together, alone?"

"Of course. He wouldn't try anything I wouldn't do." I said. Oh, geeze, not a Goode thing to say. She looked horrified. "I'm married, he gets that. I have that right to…. You know, once in a while, have my way with Lily, and be a married couple." At my blush, she giggled. "Zach isn't stupid. He knows Dave would chop his balls off if he tried to get Cammie in his bed." Rachel giggled.

"Or, as Dave would call it 'the nasty-nasty horizontal dance.'" I rolled my eyes as the immaturity my best friend had the knack for showing.

"He used to call it 'doing the freak between the sheets.'"

"Oh, no, he still does." That's great. "That's one of his ways of flirting with me."

"That's weird."

"It's Dave, Joe." She said. "Like you'd really expect less." I grinned.

"This is the same man who somehow could prove to me I have the sex drive of a rabbit." Rachel burst out laughing.

"He probably bugged your bedroom. When I met him, you guys were rooming together, weren't you?"

"Yes. " I missed those days…. I snorted. Yeah right. Not if I knew Dave was listening to every remotely sexual encounter I had…not that I had many. I was a man with a mission. I couldn't just go find some random chick and take her home….

I'm a big fat liar sometimes. I did that a few times. Afterwards I felt like a man whore. Lily made it worse when we had pulled an all nighter, talking about ourselves, and our ambitions and such, and she's like "Yeah, I'm a virgin." And I'm like "Damn, will you hate me if I'm not?"

God, I sound like a teenager. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm forty-fucking-five years old for pity's sake.

And now I'm dropping f-bombs. Sense when did I do that?

I needed some air. This hospital wasn't any Goode for me.

…How long have I been making really bad jokes with Zach's name? Do I want to know that answer? Let's go with no, and excuse ourselves for twenty minutes, Joe.

"Excuse me, Rachel; I'm going to call Lily." I went outside and called her.

"You're all right." She didn't sound scared.

"Zach's not." I hated frightening her.

"What?" Her voice turned panicky.

"He got shot. He's alive, his hearts beating out of control because Cammie kissed him, but other than that…"

"Should I-"

"No! Stay with the baby, honey." I said. "I'll meet you two ladies there soon. I'll go say by to Zach."

I went in.

"What do you mean 'beating out of control?' And why did he kiss my daughter?" I turned to Dave.

Oh, boy…..

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"So, you're telling me that you're trained like a Secret Service man just in case?"

"And clearly it's a necessity." I said. Zach was currently stretched out on a recliner in our living room. The house wouldn't be ready till the end of the school year. But, after seeing his room, we told him that he could decorate it any way he wanted. As long as he was healed enough by the summer. He had drawn some blueprints, and we'd given him permission to modify it to his heart's content. Lily was nursing Anna, using a blanket to cover her torso, trying to be discreet. She was very good at it, being self conscious of her body and such.

"Why don't I believe you?" She asked, sounding kind of snotty. Zach had sat up, looking…pissed, to tell you the truth.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Come on, Solomon. Your whole life is a lie." Dear God….

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lily asked. Her shirt was on the right way, and she was burping our daughter. I tossed her the burp cloth from off the end table. She caught it right as Lily spit up slightly.

"Come on, he's married to the likes of _you_." Alice said. That made me mad. Zach held out his arms for the small child. Lily smiled and handed the baby over carefully. "I mean, he's hot, and athletic, and smart. You've got your head in the clouds, with zero confidence and are lazy." That clearly stung her.

"Say that again, and you'll spend the next six months in the hospital." Zach said.

"Look, Alice, I appreciate your compliments, but first off, I happen to really love your sister here." I said. "I've read her work, she's brilliant at the invention of a world that exist, but of which we know not." She rolled her eyes, most likely at the choice of words I used. "Furthermore, her looks and lack of confidence isn't what makes her." I said. "It's the fact that she isn't afraid to be herself. It's that I can come home every day and leave my work behind. I have someone to kiss goodnight, and shower with my attention and affection." I glanced at Zach and Anna. "And I've adopted one addition, and conceived a second. I have a family, and that's what's important to me. Two kids I love dearly, and a wife who doesn't want me for the sex, but because I saw the real her."

"Right." Alice snorted.

"I saw straight through her mask, Alice." I said. "And I could see the pain and hell you put her through." I said. "IF you don't believe me, that's fine, but don't ever think I won't ever forget what you did to my wife."

"She still won't get over it?"

"I can speak for myself." Lily snapped. I winced.

"Sorry." I muttered.

"No, Joe it's fine." She said. "Alice, why are you like this? I didn't do anything to you?" Alice simply glared.

"If you don't know, then you're blinder than what your eye doctor said." Lily rolled her eyes.

"Dramatic much? Alice, you tell me to get over myself, but you need to take the same advice. Stop bagging on me because I have everything you want." Alice looked angry. Zach held Anna tight, and looked at Lily in concern. He smiled in her direction, giving her some confidence. "If you can't accept me for me, then I want you to leave. I want you to turn around and I don't want to see your face until you can actually be nice." Lily's hands shook. She rarely spoke to anyone like that. She was too sweet, and pure for that. Alice silently stood, glared, and went into the hall. Rachel had sent her bags to us. She was gone. I breathed a sigh of relief. Lily turned to face me and buried her face in my chest, clearly shaken. I held her. Zach smiled.

"Look on the bright side, Lily." She turned, shy but curious, towards Zach. "Anna's still cute as a button!" We laughed at his slight childishness, chosen perfectly.

"Thank you." I mouthed over the top of her head. When she leaned against me, and buried her face in my chest, she nodded.

"You're welcome."

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

When I got back, she was in the foyer, waiting.

"Alice." I said.

"Where's my sister?" She asked.

"None of your business." Two girls were walking past, on their way to dinner. They waved. "Good evening, ladies." Two seventh years, who'd been at the scene of the fight, froze, then scurried away. Oh, geeze. Cammie looked worn, and tired. "Ms. Morgan." She looked at me. I slowly approached her. "You look unwell."

"I'm fine, Mr. Solomon."

"Are you sure?" I asked. I made sure my face, hidden from Alice's view, was filled with concern, even if my voice wasn't.

"Yeah, I'm all right." She said. "It's been a long day, that's all."

"The usual spot?" I asked in hushed tones. She smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, yeah, that test was brutal." She said. "You weren't kidding, Mr. Cooke is a tough sub." I smirked. The man in question smirked as he approached. Alice looked at us. I turned to find Agent Ryder behind her. The only two men in our division who knew about the school.

"Sir?" I asked. He beckoned to me.

"That Alice girl is a liar. She knows what you're up too."

"How?" He pulled out a printed email to Lily. I read it.

_Dear Lily,_

_I know that husband of yours is a spy, don't you deny it. It was in his demeanor, his mannerisms. It was even in his speech. He was trained his whole life for that. You can't tell me that I'm wrong._

"Where did you get this?"

"Your wife called, actually, Joe." He sighed. "Tell her. She used to give discounts to the Circle members. She knew Zach."

"She knew Catherine Goode?"

"They were close, apparently. And she knew what you really did. I wouldn't be surprised if Lily didn't already know." That one scared me. Actually, it all did. I turned to Alice.

"You remember me telling you that I'm no ordinary teacher, right?"

"Vaguely." She said, crossing her arms and cocking her hip. I smirked, trying to make it evil, slightly intimidating. I turned to Tom, who was now joined by Harvey. Cammie looked a little suspicious.

"Change of plans, Cammie." I said, turning to the two teachers. "What do you gentleman say to…a pop quiz?" I asked. "Cameron, you say a word to your friends I'll dock you ten points." She nodded. "Tonight." I said to them. I turned to Alice and Agent Ryder.

"Both of you. " I said. "Come with me…"

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

I crammed a comms unit in my ear, and turned on the monitors. The juniors jumped out. Cammie waited behind.

"You'll have to find your missing classmate." I ordered. "This is Hide and Go Seek: Spy Edition, ladies." I checked their cameras. "You'll have to put everything you've learned in my class plus what you already knew all into this quiz." I said. Rachel was watching Anna and keeping an eye on Zach (he's like all teenage boys, restless, and reckless. That injury would kill him if he went back into action now.). Lily, who was keeping an eye on what her sister did, was sitting next to me, her skinny jeans a little more snug than normal, but accenting her body more than my body really liked, as it started reacting to it with a vengeance. Luckily, the car would be dark when the girls got in.

"What are they up to?" Harvey asked. Alice was watching too.

"Look, there's Cammie." Lily said, pointing on the screen. "And Anna walked right passed her." The girls had introduced themselves to her, and she'd picked the names up quickly.

"Look." Harvey said. "There's Mr. Smith." Oh, Goode, I wasn't the only one oblivious to his last name.

"Mick didn't see him. He's in plain view."

"To us, sweetheart." I said. "We've got cameras at every angle. They don't."

"Oh, that's right." She said, leaning against me, shivering slightly. I shrugged out of my jacket and handed it to her. "Thanks." She mumbled, pulling it on. I looked at the screen. When Tina passed right by her, she smirked at the camera. I switched frequencies for the units.

"Stay low Cammie, she's going to notice you if you aren't careful." She nodded. Mr. Smith walked around through the trees. My comms unit frequency switched again."Oh, by the way." I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Make sure you don't get caught." They looked surprised. Mick and Tina were promptly scooped up by Mr. Smith, and carried back to the van. I smirked.

"Well, hello, ladies." I said, swiveling around in my chair, legs crossed, and smirking. I knew the whole scene was more sinister than it was supposed to be, because of the eerie glow the backlight from the screens gave me. They looked at me, unsure. "Get back to school." I said. "Harvey, check the front monitors." He leapt up and moved. Alice went to join him. The two girls left. Lily made to sit on my lap. Girl, I was horny enough, did you really have to make it worse? I made no indication of what she was doing to me. But she'd had Anna two weeks ago. We still had another month before….

This was torture.

I cleared that thought from my mind, and swiveled my chair back to facing the screens. Cammie had caught Anna. Mr. Smith caught two more students. They were good, but Smith and Cammie were better.

"Ladies, you're dropping like flies, pick it up." I said. "Once you get back to the van, when your caught, don't bother getting inside, just go back to school. I rubbed Lily's back, my fingers trailing down her spine. She shuddered slightly. "You all right?" I asked, pulling off my mic.

"Don't-" She grabbed my hand and made me stop. "Not until the six weeks are up, all right?" Oh…oops. I sighed.

"Then don't wear those jeans either." I said. "They're doing things that really shouldn't be done to a man who can't have his way with the woman he loves." She blushed and laughed. Alice was oblivious.

"What is she even here for?"

"Apparently, she was in cahoots with the Circle." I said. "The CIA wants me to bring her on this mission. Tom and Ryder are out there now." I said. "It's go time."

I turned to Harvey, who was flirting bashfully with Alice. Lily gagged. I smirked. "Harvey." I said gently. He looked at me, curious. "Will you let Alice out? It's time to see what she can do against our Gallagher girls." He nodded, jumped out, and led her to a dark, secluded spot, where three girls were going to pretend to not see her.

"Hey, who are you?" She snapped.

"I'm Agent Ryder, with the CIA. We're here to question you about Catherine Goode."

"So? She's just a friend."

"We'll need to confirm that. Come with me ma'm." Harvey jumped back in. The girls came back looking defeated.

"We…" Harvey had occupied the chair that was left.

"Sorry." Lily said. "I was sitting on the floor, but with my back…"

"Oh, okay." Bex rolled her eyes. I kept cool and collected. Calm? Eh, not internally anyway.

"Oh, right. We just-"

"Missed me?" Cammie asked. Mr. Smith hopped in behind her. They grinned.

"Where… you know what? I don't want to know." Bex said. They grinned harder. I smirked. Harvey got back in the driver's seat. Lily slid into the abandoned chair.

"My back's still sore." She said. "From eight months of carrying around a baby." I chuckled quietly.

"I can only imagine." I murmured. The girls were watching us, trying to be discreet about it. Well, discreet was my middle name. So that's the kind of relationship we had. Actually, my middle name is Sebastian, but you get the picture.

"Joe, hon." I looked at her. My phone was glowing. I had a text. "It's from Zach…"

I looked at it, and rolled my eyes.

"Anna puked on him." I said, smirking. I texted back "haha" and clicked send, before replacing my phone in my pocket. Goode, the kid deserved it, after teasing me ruthlessly today about my…current condition.

I'll admit, it had been like this for days. And Zach knew it. So he mocked me. Anna puked on him. Sweet sweet karma.

"What are you so… mischievous about?" She asked. I looked at her.

"Remember how I told you he was mocking me earlier?" I asked. She nodded. "I think you know what it was about. So, I sent him back 'haha' as my reply." She rolled her eyes. "Why? Because karma's a-" I stopped before saying the word. Lily grinned when I turned to face the computer screen. Cammie snickered.

"Just say it, it's not like we don't know the word." She muttered.

"For God's sakes Joe." Lily said, rolling her eyes. "He meant to say Karma's a bitch." I looked at her in surprise.

"You? Say…that word?" I asked. "Geeze, Lily you're surprises are going to be the death of me one day." I said. She rolled her eyes again. "I can see the obituary now, 'Death by Heart Attack; Wife Says things she normally doesn't, and husband goes into cardiac arrest.'" Lily burst out laughing. "And looks adorable while laughing." She blushed.

I heard "Awww" behind me. I looked at my students.

"Ladies, if you ever say that about me again-" They laughed. Cammie smirked.

"Wait till Daddy gets ahold of that information." She said.

Oh dear God.

"This doesn't leave the van." I threw over my shoulder. Lily smiled. "All right, ladies." I turned to Lily. "Same goes for you, brat, because I know you'd find a way around it." She laughed again. Harvey and Mr. Smith burst out laughing.

"Right, that's interesting."

"Worst idea ever, right?" Mr. Smith replied.

"They haven't listened to anything we said." Cammie said. She looked happier, less stressed. "You're good." Or Goode…

Can I go slap myself now?"

"Speaking of Goode." I said. Cammie rolled her eyes. "You ladies should have Mr. Goode back in your possession first thing next Monday." Cammie's face lit up. Lily yawned.

"Hey Mr. Solomon?" Bex was looking at one of the monitors. Our cameras were still in place. Two squirrels were…getting it on, right in front of the camera.

"Oh my…" Lily said. I looked at them.

"Ladies, be mature about this, really." I said, shutting off the monitor. They were cracking up. Even Lily was giggling.

"Come on, like it wasn't remotely funny to you." Cammie said.

"Seriously, Solomon, would you really expect that?" Tina asked.

"No, but-" Lily was cracking up. "It's really not that funny." I said to her as she laughed.

"No, it was the look on your face that was." She said, calming down. "You were so shocked." I failed to keep back a blush; luckily, the car was dark, as the screens had dimmed a bit. I was going to get her for that.

"I'm not really all that amusing." I said. "Believe me; you've sat through some of my more humorous moods."

"No, but you pull the best facial expressions ever."

"All right, Lily, that's enough." I said. She grinned.

"Sorry, it was cute." She said. I blushed harder. The girls looked surprised. I turned to face the screens. We stopped in the yard.

"I'll see you in class tomorrow ladies." I said. They went in and chatted about…whatever they felt like. Lily and I picked up Anna, who was fed and changed, and Zach, who was tired, and went to the Sublevels to our normal quarters. Zach crawled into the guest bedroom, and went to sleep. Anna passed out quickly. Because their rooms didn't allow sound in, only out, I turned to her.

"Lillian Marie, you are a dead woman." I growled. She gulped, and ran. I chased her into the bedroom, and over the bed. "Get back here you-" I hooked an arm around her waist, and pulled her too me. My other arm made a vice-like grip around her and I pressed my lips to her neck, growling "Gotcha" at her. She shivered, but the room was warm. She spun around in my arms. We kissed deeply.

"Can we time travel four weeks?" She asked. A little ball of horny anticipation curled in the pit of my stomach.

"I wish/" I whispered. "Can I ask you a favor?" I pulled her away from me. She nodded. "Please, don't ever do that in front of those girls again. Please?"

"Fine." She said. "Only because I love you." I smiled. Her breathing was coming in shorter than before. Her asthma. "You okay, dear?" I asked. She nodded, and went to dig out her inhaler. She used it, breathing a little easier than before. I held her fingers in mine, and we made our way towards the bedroom, where we talked until the morning.


	18. Chapter 18

"Hi, Mr. Solomon!"

"Ladies, hello." I said, passing by two seniors with my sister-in-law and wife. They were talking as they passed. Cammie and Zach were laughing hysterically in the hallway. My teacher side was kicking in. "Mr. Goode, Ms. Morgan, don't you have a class to get to."

"Yes, Mr. Solomon."

"No, I don't Joe." Zach said. I looked at Zach.

"Mr. Goode." I said. He grinned.

"Come on, dude, don't play like that." He said in Greek. I barely flinched and replied in the same tounge with "Mi̱n párete mou me éxypno nearó ándra. Boreí na eímai thetós patéras sas, allá tha energoún san tous ypóloipous foiti̱tés. Den eínai proso̱polí̱pti̱s." He saluted me.

"Yes sir!" He said in English. I rolled my eyes. Cammie groaned.

"Zach, that was so bad, the mice are complaining." I bit my cheek to keep from smirking. I failed, miserably. Zach looked offended. "Come on, we're gonna be late for Chem." She dragged him towards the Sublevels.

"You better hurry; Mr. Cooke isn't exactly forgiving to lateness!" I called. Cammie grabbed Zach's arm and ran, half dragging the lunatic.

"He speaks Greek."

"Drill sergeant of a mother, he had." I said.

"Had?"

"She died." I said bluntly. "Was the evident head of a smuggling organization, and got herself killed. I took the kid in as my own."

"He's such a sweet boy." Lily said. Anna started to fuss, so Lily and Alice went to the teachers' lounge to leave me in my thoughts. A seventh grader came over to me, looking terrified.

"Can you help me? I'm totally lost, and I'm new." I took the schedule she handed me from her trembling fingers.

"Code breaking. This way." I lead her towards the room, and knocked on the door. Harvey called, "Come in!" I entered with the girl.

"New student, Harvey." I turned to the girl. "Mr. Moskowitz." I said. "Or Mr. M." She went in to sit down. I left the room to head towards the Sublevels. The school went black, and I knew it wasn't just a power outage.

It was Code Black.

After I froze, spy mode went into effect, and I pulled out the mini flashlight Lily insisted I carry with me, my first name printed on the side. Then, a thought hit me.

Lily…..

I ran as fast as I could, ignoring the rule that the teachers needed to meet in one central location at all times. I found them with Mr. Smith.

"Thank God." Lily said. I ran and cradled her and Anna in my arms.

"You get out of here." I said, pulling a gun from the drawer. We were in my old quarters, so I knew where I'd hidden some weapons. I loaded it, and Lily gasped.

"Joe, you can't be serious."

"That house we just bought?" I told her. Alice looked amazed. My spy training had taken over, and my husband training…rather "training", had lead me to get those two out first. "You three go there." I said. "Lily, you know the way." I shoved the gun in the waistband of my kakis, and found my spare gear belt. I clipped it on.

"What the hell are you not telling me?" Alice asked, looking angry.

"I'm no ordinary teacher, Alice." I said. "Lily, go!" She nodded, kissed me, and then was lead away by Harvey. Mr. Smith and I (we really need to establish a first name basis, this was getting ridiculous. I'm pretty sure he's my age. We spoke to formally for that.). We ran to Rachel Morgan's office, where we found Cammie, Bex and Dave in combat with several black-clad people.

"Solomon." Dave spat. "Two followed Lily out, go!" I ran out the door, and found her being cornered. I ran at one guy, and tackled him to the ground. Zach, who had followed me, threw a punch into the gut of another guy. I sunk my fist into one guy's nose, then the butt of my gun into his temple. I turned to Lily.

"You gotta go." Alice had taken Anna. Fear coursed through me when a man tried to sneak up behind Lily. _Oh, God. Please, no. Anybody but Lily._ She turned and sunk her knee cap into his groin. Ouch. I've been on the receiving end of that before. That wouldn't feel too good.

"That felt good." Lily said.

Did I mention I love her?

"Come on, Lily. We have to get Alice and Anna out of here. You seem to be all right, but your daughter…" They ran. I went back into the school. Rachel drop kicked one guy to the ground. I ran as fast as I could through the halls. Students everywhere were beating the crap out of these guys.

But something was off.

There weren't any grapple-a-chords, or other gadgets. One guy had tripped over a cloth bag.

They were regular burgalars that had somehow slipped through our defenses.

That didn't seem right either. One guy came at me. I ducked, and then gave him an upper-cut jab right to his chin. With an "Oomf." He fell to the ground. Anna was cornered by two guys. I ran behind them, got down, and swept my left leg. His feet slid right from under him. I bashed my elbow into the other guy's temple. He crumpled to the ground. Anna looked over my shoulder, terrified. Zach shouted "JOE!" I turned to find a gun pointed at my chest. Then a laser pinpoint to my heart. I stared down the barrel of….

A cleverly disguised water gun. I pulled it from the guy's hand, and crushed it in one of my own.

"Nice try, man." I said. Dave ran at me, then stopped when six lasers decorated his chest. His hands were in the air. I dropped the plastic splinters to the ground, and lifted my hands.

"What do you want?" I looked around. In all the fighting, we'd wound up in the Grand Hall. Cammie, Bex, Lizzie, Macey, Zach, and Rachel all stood in front, looking terrified. Dave was motionless, fearless. "Just leave Dave." I said.

"We want you, Joe Solomon." That voice…..

"Eric." I sneered. He had been the one man to escape the Circle capture. I stared him down as he approached. The lights came on, blinding everyone. I had stared into my flashlight beam long enough that my eyesight wasn't horrible. I caught Dave's face going pale.

"Yes, you're absolutely correct." Eric said. I stared him down. Dave dropped to his knees, and put his hands behind his head. That way, not only would he be in a position to clearly not be doing anything wrong, but he could do a lot of damage from down there.

God, that sounds inappropriate.

"What do you want from me?"

"Your life." He said, creepily reminding me of Moriarty from Sherlock **(A/N It's a BBC show I've been kind of obsessed with lately. One of my many nerd loves, you could say.)**.

"NO!" Zach shouted. "IF you want him, you'll have to kill me too."

"Don't move Zach." I barked, my CIA agent life kicking in over my fatherly instincts. "That's an order." He was determined. Eric held a gun to my chest. The silence was tense, the hammer pulled. Suddenly, when it should have been totally serious, "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" started to play. I looked at Dave, who looked confused. Eric closed his eyes, put the gun in his holster, then answered it.

"WHAT?" He barked. Eric went silent. "Not now, I'm busy." He sounded angry. I looked at Dave, and slowly moved my hand to brush across my nostrils lightly three times.

Dave keeled over. The guy nearest him crouched down and tried to help him. Dave sat up so hard and fast he head-butted the guy. When he grabbed the guy, the snipers shot, and Dave ducked. Six bullets tore through the guy. His bullet-ridden body collapsed lifelessly to the ground. I pulled my gun on Eric. Tom, CIA, held up his gun and let it off. One sniper yelped, and the laser was gone from my chest. Eric, who was deaf in one ear, and mostly deaf in the ear pressed to his phone had his back turned, and was oblivious. I pulled back the hammer. The guy suddenly turned, pulled his gun, and shot. The force ripped right passed me and straight into the chest of…

Zach.

I turned, and emptied the gun into the guy, his head, back, left hand, and shoe bursting open at the contact. I dropped the smoking weapon and ran for Zach.

"Zach, listen to me." I said. He looked up. "Stay with me kid." Rachel had called an ambulance.

"What…"

"Attempted murder." Rachel said. "We were grouped here on lockdown, and the guy found us. Several agents were in the room. The people we fought, training less, and scared, surrendered. Cammie held Zach's hand.

I got on the ambulance with Zach, as his guardian. They took him in for emergency surgery. I waited for him.

This would be a long few hours.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Mr. Solomon?" I looked at the doctor. "Zach's surgery went well."

"He's all right?" I asked. Relief washed through me. Thank God. "He'll be awake shortly. We'll call when he wakes up." The doctor left as Rachel came in.

"How are we going to explain that to Alice?" She asked, sitting next to me in the cold, plastic chair.

"I've been thinking about that, trying to occupy my mind, keep my mind off of everything." I said. "And I think I've got a plan."

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"Zach?" I asked, going into the hospital room of a slightly deranged-looking teenage boy, with messy hair and pale as all hell. His neighbor was quietly singing to himself, but horribly out-of-tune, and it was a song about gummy bears. He acted like he was still high from the painkillers.

"Nice roommate." I said. Zach snorted.

"Right, the kids been singing for an hour now." He said. I sat down. "I guess he deserves the happy place though. They just pulled him from an abusive home." Yeah…I knew that feeling.

"Well, how do you feel?"

"Like Darth Vader stuck his Light Saber in my gut and tried to cut out my insides." That was a rather graphic and nerdy image. He must be hanging around Lily more than I though. I couldn't decide if that was a Goode thing or not. I mean, sure he would move in with us when the papers were cleared, and we had total adoption over him. And I wanted him to warm to Lily. But I wasn't so sure her nerd loves were going to be Goode for the kids mind.

"What makes you describe it like that?"

"Because I happened to be the kid that grew up obsessed with Star Wars." He said. Well, at least Lily wasn't plaguing the genius of his mind with her obsessions. Don't get me wrong, they make her that much more adorable, but in Lily's sheltered existence, you had your loves, you went to church, you didn't know about sex through your parents, and you thought the world was going to one day get better. And, I love her nativity, it made for a great, fresh outlook on life, but in the end, it wasn't the best mindset to give to your CIA agent of a husband, nor your adopted son.

"All right." I said. "Here I'm thinking Lily was to blame." He smiled slightly.

"No… I like Lily, don't be so hard on her."

"It's… Zach, when you've seen the things I've done, or heard about them, it's one thing. To actually do them, it gives you a totally different experience in life. Lily's naïve outlook on life might be an escape from that, but in the end, is it worth it to start believing her after it all?" He was silent. So was the rest of the room, aside from the singing kid.

"That's a good point." He said. "I get that. But I have seen the things you've done, and watching that in slow motion isn't exactly easy either, Joe." He said. "I knew who Cammie was right away. I was the disguised voice they used to interrogate the man. They wouldn't let me near him after I was involved with Cammie more than I'm supposed to be."

"Zach, don't you dare break that girl's heart." I said. "I love her just as much as I love you, you better not-"

"Joe, would you rather one day I come home in a box with her sobbing over me, to die in a mission because she let herself go, or for her to get over me now?" He asked. Surprisingly, his heart monitor was still steady as ever. "I love her, too, Joe, but what makes you think I want to hurt her in either way?"

"What makes you think you'll come home in a box?" I asked. That one had stung more than it should. "How do you know you won't retire early, have a nice set of grandkids, and be happily ever after?"

"I want that, Joe, I really do." Zach said. "But you never know." I had never heard Zach talk this deep before. It was a different side to him.

"You really love her?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said. He wasn't embarrassed, he wasn't ashamed. He was open. Zach wasn't the trained spy, the son of the leading terrorist group in the world.

Zachary Goode was a regular teenaged boy.

Goode. He deserved that for once.

As if to prove the conclusion I'd made, Cammie came in with some flowers and a smile. Lizzie followed behind her. Zach grinned and said, "There's my Gallagher girl." Cammie put the flowers next to his bed, and sat down, kissing him. His heart monitor beeped wildly. Rachel and I smiled knowingly at each other. Cammie pulled away.

"I hear that." She whispered. He blushed. She leaned in to say something in his ear. A small, tender smile played across Zach's lips. Lizzie looked at the boy in the neighboring bed.

"What's with him?" She asked out of concern. "High off pain meds?" I nodded.

"What else, Ms. Sutton?" I asked. She gave him a once over.

"He's Autistic. You can tell by his mannerisms." She said. "And he's an abuse victim. He's only about thirteen." Thirteen. That was horrible.

"Very good." I said. She blushed. Cammie had leaned into Zach's shoulder as he rubbed her back soothingly. Rachel beckoned me out.

"Spring break is in a month." She said. I nodded. "He needs to fully heal. Would I be able to trust him if he went to Dave's parents for the week? Cammie and him, together, alone?"

"Of course. He wouldn't try anything I wouldn't do." I said. Oh, geeze, not a Goode thing to say. She looked horrified. "I'm married, he gets that. I have that right to…. You know, once in a while, have my way with Lily, and be a married couple." At my blush, she giggled. "Zach isn't stupid. He knows Dave would chop his balls off if he tried to get Cammie in his bed." Rachel giggled.

"Or, as Dave would call it 'the nasty-nasty horizontal dance.'" I rolled my eyes as the immaturity my best friend had the knack for showing.

"He used to call it 'doing the freak between the sheets.'"

"Oh, no, he still does." That's great. "That's one of his ways of flirting with me."

"That's weird."

"It's Dave, Joe." She said. "Like you'd really expect less." I grinned.

"This is the same man who somehow could prove to me I have the sex drive of a rabbit." Rachel burst out laughing.

"He probably bugged your bedroom. When I met him, you guys were rooming together, weren't you?"

"Yes. " I missed those days…. I snorted. Yeah right. Not if I knew Dave was listening to every remotely sexual encounter I had…not that I had many. I was a man with a mission. I couldn't just go find some random chick and take her home….

I'm a big fat liar sometimes. I did that a few times. Afterwards I felt like a man whore. Lily made it worse when we had pulled an all nighter, talking about ourselves, and our ambitions and such, and she's like "Yeah, I'm a virgin." And I'm like "Damn, will you hate me if I'm not?"

God, I sound like a teenager. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm forty-fucking-five years old for pity's sake.

And now I'm dropping f-bombs. Sense when did I do that?

I needed some air. This hospital wasn't any Goode for me.

…How long have I been making really bad jokes with Zach's name? Do I want to know that answer? Let's go with no, and excuse ourselves for twenty minutes, Joe.

"Excuse me, Rachel; I'm going to call Lily." I went outside and called her.

"You're all right." She didn't sound scared.

"Zach's not." I hated frightening her.

"What?" Her voice turned panicky.

"He got shot. He's alive, his hearts beating out of control because Cammie kissed him, but other than that…"

"Should I-"

"No! Stay with the baby, honey." I said. "I'll meet you two ladies there soon. I'll go say by to Zach."

I went in.

"What do you mean 'beating out of control?' And why did he kiss my daughter?" I turned to Dave.

Oh, boy…..

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"So, you're telling me that you're trained like a Secret Service man just in case?"

"And clearly it's a necessity." I said. Zach was currently stretched out on a recliner in our living room. The house wouldn't be ready till the end of the school year. But, after seeing his room, we told him that he could decorate it any way he wanted. As long as he was healed enough by the summer. He had drawn some blueprints, and we'd given him permission to modify it to his heart's content. Lily was nursing Anna, using a blanket to cover her torso, trying to be discreet. She was very good at it, being self conscious of her body and such.

"Why don't I believe you?" She asked, sounding kind of snotty. Zach had sat up, looking…pissed, to tell you the truth.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Come on, Solomon. Your whole life is a lie." Dear God….

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lily asked. Her shirt was on the right way, and she was burping our daughter. I tossed her the burp cloth from off the end table. She caught it right as Lily spit up slightly.

"Come on, he's married to the likes of _you_." Alice said. That made me mad. Zach held out his arms for the small child. Lily smiled and handed the baby over carefully. "I mean, he's hot, and athletic, and smart. You've got your head in the clouds, with zero confidence and are lazy." That clearly stung her.

"Say that again, and you'll spend the next six months in the hospital." Zach said.

"Look, Alice, I appreciate your compliments, but first off, I happen to really love your sister here." I said. "I've read her work, she's brilliant at the invention of a world that exist, but of which we know not." She rolled her eyes, most likely at the choice of words I used. "Furthermore, her looks and lack of confidence isn't what makes her." I said. "It's the fact that she isn't afraid to be herself. It's that I can come home every day and leave my work behind. I have someone to kiss goodnight, and shower with my attention and affection." I glanced at Zach and Anna. "And I've adopted one addition, and conceived a second. I have a family, and that's what's important to me. Two kids I love dearly, and a wife who doesn't want me for the sex, but because I saw the real her."

"Right." Alice snorted.

"I saw straight through her mask, Alice." I said. "And I could see the pain and hell you put her through." I said. "IF you don't believe me, that's fine, but don't ever think I won't ever forget what you did to my wife."

"She still won't get over it?"

"I can speak for myself." Lily snapped. I winced.

"Sorry." I muttered.

"No, Joe it's fine." She said. "Alice, why are you like this? I didn't do anything to you?" Alice simply glared.

"If you don't know, then you're blinder than what your eye doctor said." Lily rolled her eyes.

"Dramatic much? Alice, you tell me to get over myself, but you need to take the same advice. Stop bagging on me because I have everything you want." Alice looked angry. Zach held Anna tight, and looked at Lily in concern. He smiled in her direction, giving her some confidence. "If you can't accept me for me, then I want you to leave. I want you to turn around and I don't want to see your face until you can actually be nice." Lily's hands shook. She rarely spoke to anyone like that. She was too sweet, and pure for that. Alice silently stood, glared, and went into the hall. Rachel had sent her bags to us. She was gone. I breathed a sigh of relief. Lily turned to face me and buried her face in my chest, clearly shaken. I held her. Zach smiled.

"Look on the bright side, Lily." She turned, shy but curious, towards Zach. "Anna's still cute as a button!" We laughed at his slight childishness, chosen perfectly.

"Thank you." I mouthed over the top of her head. When she leaned against me, and buried her face in my chest, she nodded.

"You're welcome."

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

When I got back, she was in the foyer, waiting.

"Alice." I said.

"Where's my sister?" She asked.

"None of your business." Two girls were walking past, on their way to dinner. They waved. "Good evening, ladies." Two seventh years, who'd been at the scene of the fight, froze, then scurried away. Oh, geeze. Cammie looked worn, and tired. "Ms. Morgan." She looked at me. I slowly approached her. "You look unwell."

"I'm fine, Mr. Solomon."

"Are you sure?" I asked. I made sure my face, hidden from Alice's view, was filled with concern, even if my voice wasn't.

"Yeah, I'm all right." She said. "It's been a long day, that's all."

"The usual spot?" I asked in hushed tones. She smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, yeah, that test was brutal." She said. "You weren't kidding, Mr. Cooke is a tough sub." I smirked. The man in question smirked as he approached. Alice looked at us. I turned to find Agent Ryder behind her. The only two men in our division who knew about the school.

"Sir?" I asked. He beckoned to me.

"That Alice girl is a liar. She knows what you're up too."

"How?" He pulled out a printed email to Lily. I read it.

_Dear Lily,_

_I know that husband of yours is a spy, don't you deny it. It was in his demeanor, his mannerisms. It was even in his speech. He was trained his whole life for that. You can't tell me that I'm wrong._

"Where did you get this?"

"Your wife called, actually, Joe." He sighed. "Tell her. She used to give discounts to the Circle members. She knew Zach."

"She knew Catherine Goode?"

"They were close, apparently. And she knew what you really did. I wouldn't be surprised if Lily didn't already know." That one scared me. Actually, it all did. I turned to Alice.

"You remember me telling you that I'm no ordinary teacher, right?"

"Vaguely." She said, crossing her arms and cocking her hip. I smirked, trying to make it evil, slightly intimidating. I turned to Tom, who was now joined by Harvey. Cammie looked a little suspicious.

"Change of plans, Cammie." I said, turning to the two teachers. "What do you gentleman say to…a pop quiz?" I asked. "Cameron, you say a word to your friends I'll dock you ten points." She nodded. "Tonight." I said to them. I turned to Alice and Agent Ryder.

"Both of you. " I said. "Come with me…"

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

I crammed a comms unit in my ear, and turned on the monitors. The juniors jumped out. Cammie waited behind.

"You'll have to find your missing classmate." I ordered. "This is Hide and Go Seek: Spy Edition, ladies." I checked their cameras. "You'll have to put everything you've learned in my class plus what you already knew all into this quiz." I said. Rachel was watching Anna and keeping an eye on Zach (he's like all teenage boys, restless, and reckless. That injury would kill him if he went back into action now.). Lily, who was keeping an eye on what her sister did, was sitting next to me, her skinny jeans a little more snug than normal, but accenting her body more than my body really liked, as it started reacting to it with a vengeance. Luckily, the car would be dark when the girls got in.

"What are they up to?" Harvey asked. Alice was watching too.

"Look, there's Cammie." Lily said, pointing on the screen. "And Anna walked right passed her." The girls had introduced themselves to her, and she'd picked the names up quickly.

"Look." Harvey said. "There's Mr. Smith." Oh, Goode, I wasn't the only one oblivious to his last name.

"Mick didn't see him. He's in plain view."

"To us, sweetheart." I said. "We've got cameras at every angle. They don't."

"Oh, that's right." She said, leaning against me, shivering slightly. I shrugged out of my jacket and handed it to her. "Thanks." She mumbled, pulling it on. I looked at the screen. When Tina passed right by her, she smirked at the camera. I switched frequencies for the units.

"Stay low Cammie, she's going to notice you if you aren't careful." She nodded. Mr. Smith walked around through the trees. My comms unit frequency switched again."Oh, by the way." I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "Make sure you don't get caught." They looked surprised. Mick and Tina were promptly scooped up by Mr. Smith, and carried back to the van. I smirked.

"Well, hello, ladies." I said, swiveling around in my chair, legs crossed, and smirking. I knew the whole scene was more sinister than it was supposed to be, because of the eerie glow the backlight from the screens gave me. They looked at me, unsure. "Get back to school." I said. "Harvey, check the front monitors." He leapt up and moved. Alice went to join him. The two girls left. Lily made to sit on my lap. Girl, I was horny enough, did you really have to make it worse? I made no indication of what she was doing to me. But she'd had Anna two weeks ago. We still had another month before….

This was torture.

I cleared that thought from my mind, and swiveled my chair back to facing the screens. Cammie had caught Anna. Mr. Smith caught two more students. They were good, but Smith and Cammie were better.

"Ladies, you're dropping like flies, pick it up." I said. "Once you get back to the van, when your caught, don't bother getting inside, just go back to school. I rubbed Lily's back, my fingers trailing down her spine. She shuddered slightly. "You all right?" I asked, pulling off my mic.

"Don't-" She grabbed my hand and made me stop. "Not until the six weeks are up, all right?" Oh…oops. I sighed.

"Then don't wear those jeans either." I said. "They're doing things that really shouldn't be done to a man who can't have his way with the woman he loves." She blushed and laughed. Alice was oblivious.

"What is she even here for?"

"Apparently, she was in cahoots with the Circle." I said. "The CIA wants me to bring her on this mission. Tom and Ryder are out there now." I said. "It's go time."

I turned to Harvey, who was flirting bashfully with Alice. Lily gagged. I smirked. "Harvey." I said gently. He looked at me, curious. "Will you let Alice out? It's time to see what she can do against our Gallagher girls." He nodded, jumped out, and led her to a dark, secluded spot, where three girls were going to pretend to not see her.

"Hey, who are you?" She snapped.

"I'm Agent Ryder, with the CIA. We're here to question you about Catherine Goode."

"So? She's just a friend."

"We'll need to confirm that. Come with me ma'm." Harvey jumped back in. The girls came back looking defeated.

"We…" Harvey had occupied the chair that was left.

"Sorry." Lily said. "I was sitting on the floor, but with my back…"

"Oh, okay." Bex rolled her eyes. I kept cool and collected. Calm? Eh, not internally anyway.

"Oh, right. We just-"

"Missed me?" Cammie asked. Mr. Smith hopped in behind her. They grinned.

"Where… you know what? I don't want to know." Bex said. They grinned harder. I smirked. Harvey got back in the driver's seat. Lily slid into the abandoned chair.

"My back's still sore." She said. "From eight months of carrying around a baby." I chuckled quietly.

"I can only imagine." I murmured. The girls were watching us, trying to be discreet about it. Well, discreet was my middle name. So that's the kind of relationship we had. Actually, my middle name is Sebastian, but you get the picture.

"Joe, hon." I looked at her. My phone was glowing. I had a text. "It's from Zach…"

I looked at it, and rolled my eyes.

"Anna puked on him." I said, smirking. I texted back "haha" and clicked send, before replacing my phone in my pocket. Goode, the kid deserved it, after teasing me ruthlessly today about my…current condition.

I'll admit, it had been like this for days. And Zach knew it. So he mocked me. Anna puked on him. Sweet sweet karma.

"What are you so… mischievous about?" She asked. I looked at her.

"Remember how I told you he was mocking me earlier?" I asked. She nodded. "I think you know what it was about. So, I sent him back 'haha' as my reply." She rolled her eyes. "Why? Because karma's a-" I stopped before saying the word. Lily grinned when I turned to face the computer screen. Cammie snickered.

"Just say it, it's not like we don't know the word." She muttered.

"For God's sakes Joe." Lily said, rolling her eyes. "He meant to say Karma's a bitch." I looked at her in surprise.

"You? Say…that word?" I asked. "Geeze, Lily you're surprises are going to be the death of me one day." I said. She rolled her eyes again. "I can see the obituary now, 'Death by Heart Attack; Wife Says things she normally doesn't, and husband goes into cardiac arrest.'" Lily burst out laughing. "And looks adorable while laughing." She blushed.

I heard "Awww" behind me. I looked at my students.

"Ladies, if you ever say that about me again-" They laughed. Cammie smirked.

"Wait till Daddy gets ahold of that information." She said.

Oh dear God.

"This doesn't leave the van." I threw over my shoulder. Lily smiled. "All right, ladies." I turned to Lily. "Same goes for you, brat, because I know you'd find a way around it." She laughed again. Harvey and Mr. Smith burst out laughing.

"Right, that's interesting."

"Worst idea ever, right?" Mr. Smith replied.

"They haven't listened to anything we said." Cammie said. She looked happier, less stressed. "You're good." Or Goode…

Can I go slap myself now?"

"Speaking of Goode." I said. Cammie rolled her eyes. "You ladies should have Mr. Goode back in your possession first thing next Monday." Cammie's face lit up. Lily yawned.

"Hey Mr. Solomon?" Bex was looking at one of the monitors. Our cameras were still in place. Two squirrels were…getting it on, right in front of the camera.

"Oh my…" Lily said. I looked at them.

"Ladies, be mature about this, really." I said, shutting off the monitor. They were cracking up. Even Lily was giggling.

"Come on, like it wasn't remotely funny to you." Cammie said.

"Seriously, Solomon, would you really expect that?" Tina asked.

"No, but-" Lily was cracking up. "It's really not that funny." I said to her as she laughed.

"No, it was the look on your face that was." She said, calming down. "You were so shocked." I failed to keep back a blush; luckily, the car was dark, as the screens had dimmed a bit. I was going to get her for that.

"I'm not really all that amusing." I said. "Believe me; you've sat through some of my more humorous moods."

"No, but you pull the best facial expressions ever."

"All right, Lily, that's enough." I said. She grinned.

"Sorry, it was cute." She said. I blushed harder. The girls looked surprised. I turned to face the screens. We stopped in the yard.

"I'll see you in class tomorrow ladies." I said. They went in and chatted about…whatever they felt like. Lily and I picked up Anna, who was fed and changed, and Zach, who was tired, and went to the Sublevels to our normal quarters. Zach crawled into the guest bedroom, and went to sleep. Anna passed out quickly. Because their rooms didn't allow sound in, only out, I turned to her.

"Lillian Marie, you are a dead woman." I growled. She gulped, and ran. I chased her into the bedroom, and over the bed. "Get back here you-" I hooked an arm around her waist, and pulled her too me. My other arm made a vice-like grip around her and I pressed my lips to her neck, growling "Gotcha" at her. She shivered, but the room was warm. She spun around in my arms. We kissed deeply.

"Can we time travel four weeks?" She asked. A little ball of horny anticipation curled in the pit of my stomach.

"I wish/" I whispered. "Can I ask you a favor?" I pulled her away from me. She nodded. "Please, don't ever do that in front of those girls again. Please?"

"Fine." She said. "Only because I love you." I smiled. Her breathing was coming in shorter than before. Her asthma. "You okay, dear?" I asked. She nodded, and went to dig out her inhaler. She used it, breathing a little easier than before. I held her fingers in mine, and we made our way towards the bedroom, where we talked until the morning.


	19. Chapter 19

"She was behind a lot of bad things, that's all I have clearance to tell you." I said two weeks later. Zach was back in school, our daughter was a month old, and I was teaching after three weeks of maternity leave with my wife. Still, life goes on.

"I wish I could know, she's my sister, and she's suddenly in prison." She said. "Just because she treated me like dirt, doesn't mean that I don't care."

"I know, dear, I get that." I said. "I'm sorry; you'll have to wait until I get that level of clearance." I said. She nodded in defeat. I needed to cheer her up, and fast. "How's that novel coming along?"

"Great!" She said. "I've even gotten work done on the second book!" Wow, that's impressive.

"Very nice." I said. "Can I be the first to get an autograph?" She blushed and laughed.

"Honey, don't start that now." Lily said embarrassedly.

"Sorry, baby, I've been excited to read it for a long time."

"I know. I get that." She said. I leaned in and kissed her.

"Love you." I said. She giggled and kissed me back.

"Love you more." I seriously doubted that, but I didn't say anything. I just pulled her to me, and kissed her harder. It was still another two weeks before we could….well. I think you know. But the temptation grew harder to resist.

"Hey!" Zach said. We jumped apart, looking guilty. "Doctor told you none of that for six weeks." Drat, we were caught. Her smirked.

"I wasn't trying anything, now shut up and do your homework, you brat." I said. He smirked, and made sure to hug Lily before he went off. It was better that he stayed with us. I didn't trust the man in an all girl's school, where Cammie's bed was totally accessible. He went off, and I pulled Lily into another kiss, which was interrupted shortly by Anna crying. Lily laughed at my frustration, and went to scoop up the child.

"What is it baby?" She asked. "What's wrong?" I went over to them, and held them both close. My girls. They were all mine.

Something behind me wasn't quite right, but I didn't realize it could have something to do with Zach…

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

"What are you doing here?" I asked Cammie. She hadn't spoke to me all week, wouldn't look at me, and seemed angry. I wasn't sure what I'd done. Probably the PMS or whatever.

"You know, you adopted Zach." What? Why is that so bad? Unless that made it awkward because I was her Godfather, and now Zach was kind of her Godbrother, so that was weird. Or if there was more. "Look, I don't know if you realize it, but you were caught, hugging Lily and Anna yesterday, and he was hurt because you hadn't included him."

"You do realize I had no idea he was behind me, right? Besides, Zach's weird about hugs that would weird him out." I said. "It's not that I don't care about him, Cammie." I crouched down in front of her. "Because I do. He's basically my son. But I have to adjust to that idea first. How do you think I should tell him?"

"Talk to him. Let him know." She said. "Because otherwise, he'll be more hurt, and actually jealous first."

"Right." I said. "Thanks. I don't think he'd tell me, you know, if I didn't actually figure it out or force it out of him with a truth serum." Cammie nodded. I rose and offered her a hand up. She took it and got up. Letting go of her hand, and walking to the castle. Lily was talking to Rachel. Anna was in her arms. Zach was in conversation with Bex.

"Don't be alarmed if Zach freaks because you see them." I said. "They aren't cheating, they're planning something." I didn't know what, but it was big.

"Oh, thanks." She said, walking over to them. I went to Lily and Rachel.

"Joe, hey." Rachel said. "Lily and I were talking about what to do for our anniversary."

"You and Dave, right?"

"No, mine and yours." She said sarcastically. Lily giggled.

"All right, smart alec." I said. "What were you planning?"

"A trip to Hawaii." She said. "Over summer vacation. It would last us two weeks, and Cammie would already be at Dave's parents."

"If you really want, she can stay with us." I said. "Zach could use the company."

"Maybe they'll take Zach for a few days, give Cammie her boyfriend back."

"Or maybe we could steal Cammie for a few days." I said.

"Yeah, I don't have anything to do, they'd love playing with Anna." Lily added. Rachel looked thoughtful.

"That's a fair point. We'll worry about that part later. You want to help us plan how to surprise him?"

"Sure." I said. "For now, I have something to take care of." I turned and looked at Zach. "Quick word, Zach?" He nodded, looking surprised. We walked off to the Sublevels, and into my office.

"Sweet office, man." He said.

"Thanks. Lily picked the colors, Mr. Moskowitz helped paint it." He nodded, and sat down. "You have a very concerned girlfriend."

"She's not really my girlfriend."

"Make up any excuse you want, Zach, unofficial girlfriend or not, she's still your girlfriend." He looked defeated.

"What did she tell you?"

"That I evidently am becoming sloppy in my old age." Old. Psh, yeah right. I was only forty-five. Maybe I was an old dad, but Lily was thirty two. She was quite a bit younger, so it was okay. "Why didn't you just come join our hug if you felt left out?" Zach blushed. "You were more than welcome to, you know. They're my girls, but they're yours too, now." He nodded uncertainly. "I'll be more than happy to share."

"I know. It's just…" He sighed. "I'll have to get used to it, that's all."

"All right." I said, standing up from behind the mahogany desk, and walking around the front of it, to lean against it. I put my hand on his head, fatherly and hopefully not too creepy.

"Thanks, Joe." He said. I pulled my hand back as he stood. "I'll see you later, all right?" I nodded as he left. Lily came in five minutes later, carrying Anna. I smiled and wrapped my arms around them.

"How are my girls?" Lily giggled and kissed my jaw.

"We're good." I rested a cheek against her head. Anna squirmed after a few moments, whimpering and annoyed. I took her from Lily.

"What is it, huh sweetie?" I asked. She garbled happily. I kissed her forehead and held her close to me. We went back, where Zach sat, half asleep on the couch.

"Kid, if you're so tired, go to bed." I said. He nodded, yawned, and went to bed. I took Anna to get changed, then put her in her crib. Later on I spooned in behind Lily, cold from the night being oddly chilly. Zach and Cammie left for the Morgan's ranch next week. Mr. And Mrs. Morgan, remembering who I was, asked if I would be willing to come join them for a night or two, only because Dave was already there, and would be shortly leaving. I nodded. I didn't want to think about the idea that I would be letting my son ( I liked that sound) stay with his girlfriend for a week, despite the supervision of Cammie's highly trusted grandparents. Lily snuggled deeper into me, shivering slightly. I pulled up a blanket higher.

"Why am I so cold?" She muttered. "It's freaking March already." I snickered against the warmth of her shoulder.

"I love you." I muttered. "I have one way we could warm up…" I said suggestively in her ear. Lily shivered. She was really easy to turn on. Now getting her to actually satisfy that craving….

"Hon, we can't. We've got a week left."

"Lily I have gone for over a month without making love to my wife, you really think I can wait a freaking week? I have midterms and suck to go through." She winced.

"Sorry, you know how I am. I hate breaking the rules."

"So be it, but I'm a man, and you know how I get when-"

"Joe, please, humor me. You were never this against me being a stickler for the rules, so why the sudden change of heart."

"Because I'm a forty-five year old sexually frustrated secret agent who has a Covert Operations final he's planning for from the end of spring break until June when the practical is out of the way." I said. She sighed and flipped on her back to get a better look at me. I moved back an inch to see her freckled face.

"You do realize going before I'm healed is exactly what could prevent you from getting your son, right?"

"I have a son. Zach is my son." I pointed out.

"I thought you biologically wanted your own."

"Yes, but Lily that wasn't my point." I said, propping myself on my elbow. "I just wanted to…take care of my annoying, not-so-little-problem." She rolled her eyes. "What?"

"'Not-so-little?'" She asked. "Joe, come on, are all men obsessed with their….sizes?"

"What?" I gave her a bewildered look. "That is totally not what I meant sweetheart. I meant that the actual _problem_ is growing bigger, not my…." I cleared my throat. "Junk." Lily burst out laughing when I flushed. "Lily, that's not funny."

"You are so easily embarrassed, you know that? Every time I flirt with you, you get all red and start muttering incoherently." Did she just use incoherently in a spoke sentence? It must be from writing all day long. Seriously, I thought people only used that kind of language in descriptions…

"Like you don't?" I asked. "I flirt with you-"

"There's a fine line between 'flirting' and 'making you hot and bothered.'" Lily countered. I blushed slightly. "I may have a naïve way of looking at the world Joe, but you trying to take me to bed is something that will never truly be a new concept to me." She countered.

"That's not all I'm talking about, dear." I argued back. "I mean every time I call you anything complimentive, or say something romantic."

"Most of the time, I hear 'take me to bed.'" She argued back. I flinched, knowing I actually _did_ have that tendency to ask for sex a lot. "It's usually in subtext, but it's there Joe. I may have hopes for world peace, and think you aren't in nearly as much danger as you are every time you go on a mission. I may believe you'll always come home alive, and I might have dreams of one day meeting Ellen DeGeneres, but I am no stranger to the subtext of your spoken words, Joe. I can read body language." She was mad. Great, this was getting me nowhere.

"Honey, look, that wasn't the point of this conversation." I said. "Wait, you want to meet Ellen?" She blushed so dark red that her face looked like she had a third degree sunburn. "Can I come?" I asked.

"What, trying to mock me?" That one hurt.

"What?" I looked at her in bemusement. "Lily, I was serious. That would be awesome, supporting you as you lived your dream. I-" She rolled over, and continued to roll, until her feet went first, and she gracefully rolled out of bed, onto her feet.

"I don't want to hear the lies, Joe. I have enough crap from my sister, my parents scorn and contempt at the dream I want to live. I thought you believed in me but I guess not." She snatched her pillow, and stormed into the living room.

I have never been so lost in my life.

_Me?_ Mock _Lily_?

Mock _Lily_?

_Mock_ Lily?

What the hell was going on here? The baby cried. I scooped her up and kissed her.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Mommy's in a bad mood. I think we should let her sleep, what about you?" I said, cradling my precious daughter to my chest. "I don't like it when Mommy's mad at me, do you?" She whined while I changed an incredibly smelly diaper. She gargled happily once it was over. I kissed her forehead, and laid her in the small crib.

"Sweet dreams, my princess." Daddy's little princess. You know, this is the sole reason I wanted a boy first. I wanted an older brother to protect my baby. I mean, sure there was Zach, but in who was going to really be there while she grew up?

Man, Zach's right, I _have_ gone soft!

My sweet little angel drifted off to sleep, looking so peaceful and content. She even smiled a little. I smiled, grabbed the digital camera off the nightstand on Lily's side of the bed, and snapped the picture. I curled up in bed.

Sleep evaded me that night. But that meant I could take care of Anna. Don't get me wrong, Lily hadn't forgotten her in her anger, I just didn't bother to wake her. I took care of our daughter, willingly. She wouldn't let me at night, because I had to work, but it wasn't fair that she had to take care of her all day _and_ all night. So I managed. Besides, the students left that morning.

When I finally crawled out of bed, I made a cup of coffee, ate some toast, and woke Zach. I fed, changed, and bathed Anna. We moved quietly, to keep Lily from waking up. I wrote her a quick note, saying that I was taking Anna to say goodbye to Cammie, and that I would be back in time for lunch. Zach decided to wait until I was gone (he'd heard her storm out of our room last night after going back to bed from the bathroom.) before he woke her up to say goodbye. I would miss having the kid around. I liked a little male company. Dave spent so much time at his parents lately….

"Hi." Rachel said. "Hi sweetie!" She said. I held Anna close to my chest, so she stood to my side to greet my daughter. "Daddy's wrapped around those tiny fingers of yours, isn't he?" I blushed a little. Harvey smiled.

"It's just you and Lily this week, right?"

"Yes, Zach's going to the country to heal." I said. "But, Lily's mad for some unknown reason."

"What happened?"

"I was trying to get her to…help me with a problem, and she went ballistic on me, about not being naïve, and something about me trying to get her in bed or something."

"She might just be feeling as sexually frustrated as you, Joe." I flushed. I really didn't need this from the staff right now. I held Anna a little tighter.

"Well, that may be, but-"

"Hon, Dave and I aren't busy. One night we can take the girl from you. You two spend the week-"

"She's not allowed." I said. "Six weeks aren't up yet."

"Have her talk to her gynecologist." Rachel said. "He might give the okay." I nodded.

"I'll try that. Are you two absolutely _sure_ you can handle her for a night?"

"I dealt with Cammie up every hour on the hour didn't I?" She asked. I grinned.

"Right, okay." Cammie stumbled in then, looking sleepy and grumpy.

"Morning, sunshine." Rachel said. Cammie hugged her mother, looking a little worse for wear at the moment.

"Late night? You're about falling asleep on your own feet."

"Tina decided on an all night movie marathon." She grumbled. Her face brightened a little when Zach came in. He kissed Anna on the forehead.

"Lily's mad at you for taking her baby." I groaned.

"Great." I said. The morning dragged on. Limo's drove by, one by one, to load in students, luggage, and many goodbyes. Gallagher girls all said goodbye to m and my daughter. We waited until the last student was out the door. Dave came back then.

"Welcome home." Rachel said, kissing him.

"Hi!"

"We're playing babysitter for Joe sometime, okay?"

"Sweet!" He said. "Uncle Dave will love that, right honey?" He said, cooing to Anna, who garbled happily at him. I smirked.

"I have an angry wife to attend to, and a baby who will soon need food and a nap." I said. "We'll see you at dinner." I walked away. My arms ached from holding Anna for four hours. It was a relief to be able to lay her in her small crib in the living room. Lily was on the couch, looking annoyed. She picked Anna up, and started nursing our daughter. I kissed Lily on the cheek, and sat next to her.

"Can I talk to you?" She looked at me, annoyance washed over her face.

"What?"

"Sweetheart, come on. You know I never wanted you to be mad at me! And I wouldn't mock your dreams. I was telling Zach Thursday night that I wanted to meet Oprah when you went on her show."

"You're a CIA agent."

"So? I could say I teach at an all girl's school, and that I am now jobless because you decided I needed to be a stay at home dad." I countered back. "I was serious. I wouldn't mock you for your dreams. Lily, you know me better than that."

"What, are you reprimanding me now?"

"No. I'm confused."

"Look, I didn't want to be your sex toy. If I knew that's what I got when I married you-"

"Look, stop it right now. That isn't what you are to me. You're so much more. I just have an easier time proving that to you with the physical aspect, and the comments. I'm crap at the romantic and words and such."

I know." She looked guilty. She burped Anna, and put her sleeping form in the crib. She had tears in her eyes.

"Lily, come here." I said quietly, failing at the whole gentle thing. She curled up in my lap. "Rachel came up with a great suggestion." I said.

"What?"

"If you're as frustrated as I am," I began. "What if we talk to your gynecologist? Maybe he can give us an early approval."

"Maybe. Should I explain it to him?"

"Are you kidding? Lily, he's a man, he knows how I feel right now." She laughed, and nuzzled my neck. "I'm sorry you thought I was making fun of you."

"No… I over reacted. I was tired, and I just wanted to sleep, and you wouldn't let me." She looked guilty. "Truthfully, I was exhausted, and moody. I took it out on you. And I didn't sleep at all. I was faking it because I was being childish and avoiding you." I kissed her sweetly on the forehead.

"No…it's okay." I held her. "And don't ever thing your nativity is ever a problem for me." I whispered. She smiled softly. "You go to sleep. Anna and I will be fine for a while." I was tired, but I could manage.

After an hour or so, Anna had woken up. I fed her, and we stretched out together on the couch. Still a tad small for her age, she fit comfortably on my chest, without really restricting my breathing. So I laid her there, and placed a protective hand on her to keep her from falling.

Next thing I knew, I was waking up to Lily making some popcorn, and Anna fussing. I sat up and changed her, before feeding her. Lily smiled at me.

"I loved that." She said. I looked at her, confused. She handed me the shiny blue laptop playing gentle music from its speakers, and I saw the background.

I was stretched out on the couch, Anna asleep on my chest. I was also conked out. I smiled.

"I like that picture too." I said.

Boy did I ever…


	20. Chapter 20

I sat patiently in the waiting room of the OB/GYN. It was inside the hospital, and I got incredibly bored. So I walked around for a little bit. Lily's appointment was a lengthy one, so I would be there for a while.

I went outside for some air, and a girl leaning heavily on what appeared to be her boyfriend, was whimpering in pain.

"Do you need help?" I asked. The boy looked grateful. I supported her from the left side, and together we made our way to the ER. The boy ran up to the desk, checked her in, and then sat back down with her. She was scared, hurt, and crying. Several rather rude people were glaring daggers at her. She was hurt for crying out loud. I thought they were nasty people for glaring at the poor girl.

"It's going to be just fine." He said quietly. "It was dark. Things happen, love."

"Slut." Muttered one lady. It clicked. They thought she was _pregnant._ I glared at her.

"Why in the name of my left shoe would a girl come here if she was pregnant?" I asked. The teenage boy looked at me in alarm. "She's hurt." Someone snorted as if to say, "Yeah, right."

"You people are disgusting." I said, standing up. "A crying teenage girl clinging to a supportive boyfriend doesn't mean she's pregnant. She's in the ER for crying out loud!" That made me so mad. "Her ankle is messed up. Get over yourselves and your stupid prejudices, and learn the facts first." I sat back down, and turned to the girl. "Are you all right?"

"Thanks you." She whispered. The boy sat a little straighter.

"It's not a problem."

"Why would…" He looked flattered, but confused. "I mean, you're a complete stranger. Why did you help us?" The silent room was watching us.

"Let's just say it hits a little too close to home." And it was the whole reason Lily's parents still shunned her. "For my wife and I." Speaking of which…

_Where did you go?_

I looked at the text message and grinned. I sent back "ER. Went for fresh air, and girl w/bf came in, limping and hurting bad. I want to get them settled first."

_Aww, that's sweet._

_Don't expect it anymore than this._

_Lol it's okay, babe, you're secret is safe with me._

_What secret?_

_You becoming a big softie._

_I AM NOT_

_Dear, it's been that way sense we had Anna._

_Nuh uh._

…_That was childish, even for one of our teasing arguments._

_Oh, hush. Meet me in the cafeteria?_

_No, the bookstore across the street._

_Sounds like a deal. Lunch afterwards? Just us two?_

_It's a date, baby cakes._

I hated that nickname. I preferred "Joey Bear." And I despised that nickname.

"Where's your wife?"

"Speaking with an OB/GYN. We just had our first child, so she's having a checkup."

"Aww, that's awesome!" The girl said. I smiled down at the background of my phone. She looked over at it. "Is that her?"

"Yes. My princess." She smiled at me.

"Awww. See, look. There are decent daddies!" I blushed. The boy grinned.

"My brother kind of does a lousy job at it." I snorted.

"So did my parents."

"Carla Michaels." The nurse called.

"That's me." Her boyfriend helped her into a standing position, the lifted her, bridal style, and carried her off into the ER.

"That's me." Carla said, looking embarrassed.

"Come on." The nurse led them away.

"Awww." One woman said. I looked at her. "I never doubted those two for a second. That was sweet." Her husband was sporting a massively bleeding nose. He held his face over a trash can, as he had run out of tissues.

"I'm not doing that." He teased lightly. She laughed and gripped his hand. I went across the street, into the bookstore. I found my Lily pouring over a book about publishing companies. I went up behind her, and slid my arms around her waist. She started.

"Sorry, honey." I murmured. She giggled and kissed my cheek. We left after purchasing the thick book.

"Where are we going?" Lily asked, looking stunning in her simple, but beautiful blue dress, and her red hair in loose curls.

"You'll see." I said. We pulled into a parking lot, and went inside the building. She was dressed nicely, because I was taking her to a nice romantic dinner, before heading back home. I slid into the chair across from hers.

"Hm…don't think I've been to an Italian restaurant before. Usually you make me Italian, instead of taking me to get it." I winked.

"Well, I wanted to surprise you." She smiled, and reached for my hand.

"So I called Rachel." She said. I looked at her over the top of my menu, confused. "After Harvey hands her over, Rachel and Dave will take her for the night."

"Why? We can take care of our own daughter?" Why would we need a babysitter? It's not like I minded losing sleep at night for taking care of my angel.

"We'll be too preoccupied." She said. Huh?

"With sleep?" I asked, now lost entirely.

"No with…each other."

"Oh, you want to stay up late all night and talk again? I'd like that, actually." I said brightly. She looked at me in a "you have _got_ to be kidding me" fashion. I've missed something, haven't I?

"Honey, I'm trying to suggestively flirt with you, the least you could do is _try_ to cooperate." Oh. Wait…suggestively…._ohhhhhh. _Well, aren't we oblivious today?

"Sorry. I was clearly missing out on the whole point." She giggled. "So he gave us the clear?"

"Honey…it's already been six weeks. We were way off."

"Well, I feel partially stupid." I said. "And partially annoyed that my internal clock is that messed up."

"It tells you the date?" I nodded. "That's freaking awesome. You have to teach me that." She said. I laughed at her excitement.

"God, like I need another reason to love you." I said, looking at my menu. When I realized she hadn't responded, I looked up to find her looking at me with the world's biggest smile, and tears in her eyes.

"That was sweet. Thank you." She said. I grinned.

Score One for Joseph Solomon.

After dinner, we went home to see our daughter for a few hours, before "Aunt Rachel" decided to take over. Actually, demanded to take over. It was weird. I was watching Lily from behind my newspaper, realizing that she was fidgeting, slightly paler than usual, and nervous. I smirked, and went into the kitchen, whistling my own made up tune. She continued to stay in the kitchen. Lily tended to get nervous. I needed to make her relax. And she always did love a small glass of wine.

I brought us each a glass, mine a bit fuller, and sat in front of our couch, pulling her down with me. I handed her the glass, before holding it up in a toast.

"To us, for making it through the first six weeks of parenting."

"Actually, first eight." Wow, I was _really_ off. This wasn't good. At all. Imagine what that would do to me on an actual mission.

"Well, even better." I said, clinking my glass gently to hers, our fingers brushing slightly. She shivered. If I had that effect on her now, what would it be like later on? I took a sip of my wine, before holding it closer towards my legs. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her into my side. She snuggled up against me, and pressed her lips to the tan skin of my scarred neck. I pressed my own chapped lips to her freckled forehead for a lingering moment. It was peaceful. It was…_quiet._ No Zach (not that I didn't mind him being around) no Anna…it was nice.

I drained my wine glass, and reached behind me to put the empty glass on the end table. She held her empty glass in her delicate, messily-painted right fingers. The green nail polish had stained her fingers as well. _It's probably a Goode thing she never learned to really become fully ambidextrous._

I felt her fingers run through my hair, massaging my scalp, and relaxing my shoulders. The last time she'd done that for me was two years ago, when we were at her parents' house for Christmas Vacation. We found a quiet moment to ourselves in the living room.

I slid down, my head resting in her lap. Lily rubbed and massaged my head some more, relieving the tension headache that had started an hour ago. I rolled onto my back, so I could watch her face, which was lost in thought. She was peaceful. Content.

I said up slowly after her hand stopped, and leaned in to press my lips to hers. She responded instantly. We fought for dominance. Normally, I took over, but she fought harder than normal, so I let her take it.

Right about then, I lost control of all coherent thought.

I pulled her closer, as our lips worked to form around one another's. She snaked her fingers in my hair, while mine went to her cheeks. Somehow we'd made it to our bedroom. I don't have any recollection of actually moving there.

~_~_~_Break~_~_~_Line~_~_~_

Early the next morning, I was already up and making breakfast. Mornings were the worst, especially seeing as now; I wasn't used to having…fun…all night long. And, I was 45 years old. I wasn't exactly as young as I used to be. The aches made it harder to move, and the fact that I could seriously be in bed right now, doing much more gratifying things made it worse. But, I had to get my daughter, and I needed a shower. Plus, I really wanted to get some paper checking done, and clearly, I hadn't done that yesterday.

I stood under the spray, and let the hot water wash the aches, pains, and scents of last night's activities down the drain. After I jumped out, and pulled on my boxers, Lily came in for her own shower. I left to change, give her some privacy to fix herself up anyway she wanted, and head out to get my daughter. I went up to Rachel's office, and found them already there, playing with her happily. I grinned when Dave blushed.

"Er…yeah, about that." I laughed, and scooped her up.

"Hey, Bella baby. Ready to come back home?" I asked her. Lately, I'd taken to calling her Bella baby. I kissed her forehead. "Thanks Rachel. I owe you one." I said, also scooping up her diaper bag.

"It was fun to have a little one again." She seemed…sad. After they'd had Cammie, Rachel found out, after a miscarriage, that she wasn't able to conceive anymore.

"Well, if you want to borrow your surrogate niece, just let me know." I said. "I'd be happy to let you have her for a few hours."

"I'd love it, she's so cute!" Rachel said. Dave laughed.

"I'm coming over; I want to say hi to that wife of yours." I nodded, and lead him into the Sublevels, and to our apartment. Lily had her ear buds in, and was dancing like a fool around to her music. She turned around, and stopped mid-dance, blushing and looking embarrassed.

"Sorry guys." She said, giggling. "I thought I was going to be alone for a while." I grinned, and kissed her.

"It was cute." I whispered in her ear, before passing her the baby. "Don't dance like that with her." She poked her tongue out at me. I laughed. Dave rolled his eyes, and gave Lily a one-armed hug.

"You two are like kids sometimes, I swear." He said. We laughed. Lily _did_ bring out my inner child. One time, we sat around and colored in Star Wars coloring books for half the night. Then, I had to come up with a decent excuse as to why my papers weren't checked for the class the following morning.

"That's why he loves me." Lily said, giggling. "It's been a while, how've you been?"

"Good." Dave said. My mobile went off.

"Solomon." I said into the speaker.

"Joe, it's Ricky."

"Oh, yeah, hi." I said.

"We may have a mission for you this summer."

"I may take that."

"May? Joe, you always say yes." They looked at me. I went into Lily's office for privacy. "You whipped or something?"

"No…look, Ricky. We just had a kid." I said, running my fingers through my hair. "It's harder to make that decision when you've got kids."

"Yeah, I know. I've got five of my own little tykes." He had quintuplets. Poor guy.

"I'll think about it, all right?"

"Yeah, sure." He said. "I just need a partner."

"If I don't say yes, there's always Dave." I replied. "He's been dying to go on a mission." I said.

"I'll try him, too. Thanks." We hung up. Lily was standing in my doorway. I looked at her in amazement.

"How did you get here without _me_ knowing?"

"Or the entire school? I tripped six times on my way in here, I have no idea."

Mission? Definitely out of the question.

But I can't keep turning them down.

I needed a plan. And a fast one. I had one. A not-so-uncommon one either. I had the experience, the hours, and the money.

"Mission offer?" Lily asked.

"I said I'd think about it. I might just give it to Dave. He needs to get back out there." I'd seen more than enough for a lifetime.

"He'd like that." Lily said. We went into the living room. Anna was asleep, and Dave was gone. I pulled Lily close, and kissed her neck.

"I believe we have some unfinished business to attend to from this morning, young lady." I whispered huskily in her ear. She shivered violently.

"I believe you're right, kind sir." She spoke in a pretty decently mimicked British accent. I picked her up bridal style, and carried her off to the bedroom.

**That's it for this chapter! Tell me… do you think I should put in the "unfinished business" and his other escapades in a rated M fiction? I kinda want some practice for my actual novel on writing that kind of stuff. Let me know, by comment or PM. Thanks!**


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